Where Do We Go From Here?
by FayeValentine00
Summary: Gray, Juvia and the rest of Team Natsu are returning to Magnolia after the 100 Years Quest. Gray has already finally confessed to Juvia and she is happy but the closer they get to Magnolia, the more she begins to wonder if the happiness can last. Rating Upgraded to Mature
1. Chapter 1

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

* * *

Chapter 1

The 100 Years Quest was finally over. In the battle with the White Mage, Juvia was possessed and used to cause endless problems for Gray and the rest of Team Natsu. Although her memories were fuzzy, the Water Mage could clearly recall being saved by Gray. He'd protected her from the White Mage, but also from their friends when he wouldn't let them go all out against her. Although Juvia didn't think that was the best decision from a world saving perspective, it made her feel incredibly loved.

When it was all over, Gray had pulled her aside and confessed that he truly was in love with her. He said that he wanted them to be together and, of course, Juvia agreed in a nanosecond. Everything was perfect. Now they were finally arriving back in Magnolia, literally hand in hand, and suddenly Juvia realized that she didn't know where they went from here. Were they openly an item? Looking down at their intertwined fingers, Juvia could only assume so. Could they kiss now? He'd kissed her after his confession and she'd nearly had a heart attack. What did the future hold?

The closer they got to the guildhall the Water Wizard began to wonder if she had only won a battle and not the war. More than anything in the world, Juvia wanted Gray. She wanted him forever, for better or worse, regardless of what dangers might be thrown at them next. What she didn't grasp was where Gray stood on things. He was in love and he wanted to be together? Yes. But does that mean marriage, kids, living together or was Juvia just jumping to conclusions?

Juvia and Gray had once lived together for 6 months and those were some of the best times in her entire life. They were good at cohabitation. Was that something they could do again? Of course, it would be different now and he probably wouldn't lock her out if she tried to sneak in his bed… Just that thought made her chuckle, drawing Gray's attention.

"What's so funny?" he asked with a grin, joy practically radiating from the Ice Make Wizard and Juvia hoped she played at least a small role in that happiness.

"I was just remembering something," she replied evasively. The thoughts still making her smile widely which made Gray even more interested.

"Are you going to tell me?" What Gray hadn't been expecting was Juvia's face to flush brightly and the Ice Make Mage got embarrassed by proxy.

"If you must know... Juvia was remembering Amefurashi Village."

Juvia felt, more than saw, the man's slight hesitation when she mentioned their previous home. To this day, Gray felt terrible about leaving Juvia behind even though he'd had the best of intentions. Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Carla and Happy had each told him in depressing detail how they'd found her and Juvia was fairly certain he'd never forgiven himself. Hoping his good mood wouldn't falter, she quickly followed up on her explanation despite being incredibly embarrassed.

"Don't be upset! … I was just wondering if Gray-sama would still kick me out of the house if I tried to sleep with him." Her words got progressively softer as she spoke, and her face got progressively redder, but Gray caught everything, and it made him blush too.

Juvia noticed that he made a point to look in the opposite direction so she couldn't see his face but even his ears were red. It was adorable. Thankfully, she could tell that any anxiety he'd had over the mention of their former home was now completely overridden.

His answer came a few seconds later, inaudible to anyone but her. "Probably not…"

The Water Wizard's legs seriously almost gave out, but she kept herself together. These kinds of moments with Gray were becoming more and more common since the fight with Alvarez and each time she got more hopeful for their future.

When they returned to the guild, their friends were waiting. As always, there was a large amount of celebrating and drinking going around and, when it was all over, everyone ended up passing out on the floor.

When she woke up the next morning, Juvia found her head resting on Gray's chest and his arms were protectively around her. Off to the side, she saw Natsu and Lucy in a similar position, both still sound asleep. She was still trying to decide if she should stay put or try to get up when she felt Gray move.

His eyes opened slowly and when he looked down at her, a smile spread across his face. "Morning."

"Good morning, Gray-sama," she whispered, pulling herself off him reluctantly so he could sit up.

As she climbed to her feet, Juvia could see that all the other people remaining in the guild were asleep but seeing Gray's handsome face first thing in the morning energized her. "Gray-sama can sleep more, if he wants. Juvia will probably head home."

"No, I'm up now. I'll walk with you." He said the words so casually now. It seemed like once Gray had finally admitted his feelings to himself, he wasn't holding back any longer.

"Juvia would like that."

The couple left the guildhall without waking their friends. It couldn't be much past 7am because hardly anyone was wandering the streets and only a few bakeries were open. Neither spoke as they walked. Both Gray and Juvia were both still trying to wake up and, at least Juvia, was trying to figure out what to do next. She knew that this was the moment of truth and the next few minutes would probably dictate how they handled their relationship from this point forward. Honestly, despite her joy, Juvia was afraid. She had so much hope and so many dreams that deep down it didn't seem like this happiness could become her reality.

When she hazarded a glance over at the Ice Devil Slayer, he seemed to be overthinking just as much as Juvia. What the Water Mage couldn't know was where his thoughts were headed. She was only a few blocks from her apartment when Juvia finally spoke up. "D-Does Gray-sama want to come in when we get to Juvia's apartment?"

Their eyes met for just a moment before they both looked back to where they were walking. She thought he might consider his answer for a bit so when he answered almost immediately; it took Juvia aback. "Sure."

Gray agreeing to come to Juvia's apartment was one thing. He'd been over many times before but rarely alone. Also, some real-world questions began racing through her mind. She had very little memory of leaving Magnolia to track down Team Natsu thanks to the White Mage and she had no idea what her apartment even looked like. Was it clean? Was it a wreck? If it was trashed, what would Gray-sama think?... and so on. Regardless of what the apartment looked like at this point, Juvia was not going to pass up this chance.

When they got her building, they walked up together, nearly shoulder to shoulder. "Juvia feels like she should warn Gray-sama that she doesn't even remembering leaving Magnolia so the apartment could be a mess."

She saw a shadow of anger flash across his face, but it passed just as quickly. She knew that look had nothing to do with being angry with her, rather it was directed towards the White Mage herself, so she took his hand and gave him a big smile. "Either way, Juvia is fine now. Let's go in and Juvia will see if there is anything for breakfast."

To her relief, that made Gray smile, "Alright. Sounds good."

To her extreme relief, when Juvia opened the front door, everything appeared to be normal. Her place was tidy and organized just like it had been at the guild dorms and in her home with Gray. It might not seem like a lot to anyone else but after feeling the personal violation of possession, knowing her home was still intact went a long way in making her comfortable. The Water Mages sigh of relief was audible.

Gray followed Juvia into the kitchen and while she went through the cabinets in search of edible food, the Ice Devil Slayer finally struck up a conversation. "Now that the 100 Years Quest is over, I wonder what kind of crazy plan Natsu will come up with next?"

"Is Gray-sama planning to go straight back to work?" Juvia did her best to keep her voice casual, but she was sure Gray would hear the disappointment.

"I doubt it. I mean, I'm hoping to have a reason to stay..."

Juvia had been pouring flour into a bowl when she heard those words. By the time she recovered, the bowl was filled to brim and spilling out on to the table. "Oh, my goodness!"

Juvia rushed around trying to clean up the mess and try to figure out Gray's meaning at the same time. It was so easy to assume that he was talking about her, but was he? Maybe she should say nothing and pretend like she hadn't heard him. If she was wrong about his meaning, she might just scare him off like she had so many times before. Juvia's head was spinning with all of her self-doubt and she didn't realize some tears had leaked from her eyes until Gray caught her by the arm while she was still cleaning and spun her around to face him.

"Why are you crying?!" He looked confused, but also ready to fight whatever upset her.

For a moment she fidgeted in his arms, but his hands held her firm. He was waiting for his answer and saying the next words while looking Gray-sama straight in the eyes was one of the hardest things she'd ever done. "J-Juvia wants to be Gray-sama's reason to stay."

There was a long silence between the two, neither dropping their gaze until Gray started to laugh. And not just laugh, Gray doubled over leaving a very embarrassed Juvia to watch him in utter confusion. "Gray-sama?" she finally questioned him when his laughter subsided.

"You're ridiculous," he managed, still chuckling but trying to control it.

When Juvia still looked like she would cry, Gray sighed dramatically. He was convinced that Juvia would never see things the way they really were. How clearly did he need to tell his silly woman he was in love with her? What would he have to do to prove to her she was his future? He imagined marrying her would help but even then... Juvia would always been Juvia.

"Juvia isn't ridiculous!" She puffed up her cheeks, looking indigent and it made Gray laugh all over again.

The banter felt so good. After everything they'd gone through, Gray had finally admitted his true feelings to the woman he was in love with, everyone was safe and healthy, and they could tease each other like this without having to hold back. Gray truly felt at home.

Unable to continue his gentle bullying, Gray pulled Juvia into his arms, earning him a shocked expression from the Water Mage. He smiled down at her, amusement still dancing in his eyes. "You are ridiculous. What other reason would I have to stay?!"

Gray's exasperated words took Juvia aback momentarily but as his true meaning settled in, her tears did fall in that dramatic way she did whenever she was obsessing about Gray. "J-Juvia is so happy, Gray-sama!"

"Okay... This is the last time I'm going to say it so listen closely." He pulled her an arm's length away and looked straight into her damp eyes. "Juvia, I love you. I want us to be together."

She was quiet for a spell and then finally admitted, "Juvia was worried that maybe you would change your mind when we got back home."

"What are you talking about?! Why would I change my mind?!" His voice rose in frustration and he blurted out words he'd meant to save for a more appropriate time. "JUVIA LOCKSER, I'M GOING TO MARRY YOU!"

They both froze in place, eyes wide. Both their faces were bright red and Juvia didn't dare to speak, in fact, she hardly wanted to breathe. Gray looked horrified.

"Ummm... So yeah... I didn't mean to say it like that but still, stop being so negative." The Ice Devil Slayer took a moment to compose himself and, then to Juvia's shock, Gray took her hands in his and dropped to one knee right there in her kitchen.

"Gray-sama..." She whispered his name as she looked into his eyes.

"Juvia, please marry me and give me a reason to come home."

Gray's eyes were damp but Juvia's were twin waterfalls as she pulled Gray to his feet and threw her arms around his neck. "Juvia would marry Gray-sama right now!"

The level of relief Gray felt surprised him. He didn't doubt her answer for a second but hearing her agree to be his wife still affected him deeply. They held each other tightly until Gray finally pulled away enough to see her face again. Reaching out, he cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. He saw the blush spread across her cheeks as his thumbs wiped away a few stray tears on her cheeks. "Thank you."

When he pressed his lips to hers, she responded immediately. Her hands rested on his waist as she melted into him, her breasts pressed to his chest. When the kiss depended, he could still taste a hint of the alcohol from the night before, but he didn't care. In that moment, he felt at peace. Juvia was his family now and there was nowhere else he'd rather be.

Gray and Juvia finally broke apart when they had to come up for air, flushed with exhilaration. It was when Juvia's stomach growled that they realized they still hadn't eaten. Glancing over, Juvia saw there was still a large mess on the counter and now they were both covered in bits of flour too. When her stomach growled again, they both chucked.

"Maybe we should go to a restaurant instead?" Gray suggested with a smile, brushing some flour from her long blue hair.

"Will Gray-sama come back when we're done?"

Their eyes met, both sensing a deeper meaning. When Gray smiled, so did Juvia. "Of course."

Taking another step closer to the Ice Make Wizard, she murmured. "Juvia misses living with Gray-sama."

Gray's surprise was clear on his face and he turned away so she couldn't see his blush, but he still replied. "Then maybe we will have to do something about that."

Her grin was ear to ear as they left the apartment hand in hand. No one was going to believe it when they announced the news to their friends.


	2. Chapter 2

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

* * *

Chapter 2

Gray and Juvia left the apartment in search of food. They found a relaxed cafe near the river that was just opening and took a table outside to enjoy the nice weather. It felt poetic to Juvia that the day was perfectly clear, not a cloud in the sky.

They chatted about the details of the 100 Years Quest that Juvia didn't know. In return, she told Gray about what happened when Touka first appeared at the guild. She explained how they were like oil and water from the moment they met which was probably part of the reason she'd used the Water Wizard. She explained about investigating with Gajeel and the strange way Levy had been acting which she still didn't fully understand. By the time breakfast was over, many of their questions and black spots were filled in.

"Juvia just hopes things can be calm again for a while. Juvia likes to work, but she'd really like the major wars to stop." The concerned edge to her voice was plain, but she still managed a half-smile. "It's hard not to worry about when the next disaster will come."

The blue-haired woman was only mildly surprised when Gray reached across the table and squeezed her hand supportively, much like he had before they'd arrived in Tartaros. "I'll be here with you now."

Juvia's bright answering smile rivaled the sun.

After breakfast, Juvia headed back towards home but stopped when Gray hesitated. When she turned back around, she noticed Gray fidget. "Do you mind if we stop somewhere first?"

"S-Sure."

The Water Wizard followed Gray silently through town. He clearly had a destination in mind, but it was also apparent that he had no intentions of telling her where. Juvia asked anyway.

"Gray-sama, where are we going?"

"You'll see," he answered evasively as her led her down a series of streets she rarely visited.

Although Juvia had money, thanks to constantly working and usually not having to pay massive repair bills like another unnamed Fairy Tail team, this was the part of town she rarely visited. It was full of pricy boutiques and the sorts of fancy things she wouldn't even begin to know what to do with. They walked for what felt like a very long time, but that was probably more because of her impatience than the actual distance, until they came to a stop in front of a large storefront with a huge sparkling display window.

"A jewelry store?" Juvia asked perplexed, pointing to the store that was clearly marked. "Does Gray-sama need something?"

He gave her a look that was somewhere between questioning her sanity and resignation when he sighed, took her by the hand and pulled her inside. "I don't. You do."

Gray pulled her over to a massive display of very sparkly rings, moved her until she was right in front of it and gestured to the case with a blush. "Pick one."

Her jaw dropped. This was real. This was truly happening! Gray had actually brought her to a jewelry store to pick out a ring.

"I planned this out a lot differently but... what's done is done. There's no way we can go back to the guild and tell them if you don't have a ring. ... Erza would murder me."

The look of legitimate horror that crossed Gray's face made Juvia chuckle. "Juvia could definitely see Erza having that kind of reaction."

"Then hurry and pick one or this will be a really short engagement." His slight blush was the cutest thing she had seen in a long time and her amusement melted into excitement.

"Okay."

They discussed types of metal (it must be durable against water and cold weather), preference (traditional) and wedding bands vs. separate engagement rings and wedding rings. All in all, it took about an hour to find the perfect ring. The final decision was to get a platinum solitaire engagement ring with a matching diamond and sapphire wedding band to add after the wedding. Juvia simply couldn't imagine not wearing the ring they were buying today for the rest of her life. She wanted to remember this day forever.

The clerk boxed up the ring, took their payment and sent the happy couple on their way. Juvia had assumed that Gray would just hand her the ring and have her put it on since his life was on the line, but he didn't. He held the small bag as they walked back down those less familiar roads and towards her apartment.

There were passing over the familiar bridge Juvia had crossed a hundred times before when Gray stopped in the middle and turned to face her. "Do you remember what I said to you right here?"

Juvia's face turned bright red at the memory yet nodded and repeated the words she'd never forget. "Gray-sama said, "I'm really thankful that you're here... for always being beside me.""

"And what else?" He asked awkwardly, trying to contain his own embarrassment too.

"G-Gray-sama also promised Juvia an answer when the battle was over." Juvia's voice was barely a whisper as she realized what was coming next.

Right there, in front of all the random people milling through town, Gray went down to one knee again, held out the box containing her perfect ring and looked into her eyes with the sweetest smile. "One more time, so I can do this right. ... Juvia, please marry me."

The tears came all over again because that bridge was special. Those hope giving words from Gray were special. The ring was special and the man on his knee before her was her salvation. She didn't care if a million people were watching or if no one was watching. The only two people in the world were Juvia and Gray.

"Yes." She managed the single word between her sobs and when Gray stood back up, she kissed him with everything she had. Juvia only subconsciously noticed that the Ice Devil Slayer didn't push her away. Instead, he held her just as tightly as she held him. It was a rare public display of affection but, at that moment, neither cared.

When they finally came apart, both had wet cheeks and huge smiles. That was when he slipped the ring on her finger and then kissed it for good measure. "There. Now they'll all know that you're my reason to come back home. Okay?"

"Yes," she agreed.

"I know we promised to go back to the apartment, but do you mind if we go to the guild first?" He side glanced the surrounding crowd; many offering their congratulations and well wishes before he then continued. "With all these people, if we don't hurry, someone is bound to tell the guild before we get there."

Juvia had been thinking much the same thing. The citizens of Magnolia loved Fairy Tail, but they also loved to gossip about Fairy Tail. News of Gray and Juvia's engagement would spread like wildfire. "Sure! Let's go there first."

* * *

They got to the guildhall about ten minutes later and were pleasantly surprised to see they had made it. Other than a few hellos and waves, everyone was already awake and wrapped up in their own conversations. Gray and Juvia crossed the hall and walked straight to Mirajane standing behind the bar. Being the heart of the guild, she'd seemed like the best place to start.

The white-haired woman opened her mouth to greet her friends with a smile but stopped when she read something in their expressions. Mira noted their grins, the way they walked closer together than usual and then her eye caught the sparkle coming from Juvia's left ring finger. Her eyes went from the Water Wizard's hand, to her face and then to Gray who she'd known since childhood. When he answered her questioning expression with a proud smile, tears sprung into her eyes.

Mira rushed around from behind the bar and threw her arms around them both before she ever said a word. Her hug caught the attention of everyone else in the hall, but it wasn't until she pulled away to wipe her eyes and say, "Congratulations!" that the others figured out what had happened.

The answering roar in the hall was loud but one voice rang out above all others. "Gray!"

All eyes turned to Natsu who'd leapt up from his seat and rushed towards the bar with an intense expression on his face. He came to a stop directly in front of his best friend, Lucy and Happy only a few steps behind him.

The Dragon Slayer's eyes flashed from Gray, to the ring, to Juvia's confused face, and then back to Gray. The Ice Devil Slayer looked as intense as Natsu while he waited a response. A minute later, the sakura-haired mans intense gaze morphed into a huge smile that made everyone relax.

"You finally did it! Congratulations!" Natsu shouted, punching Gray in the arm far too hard, knocking him to the ground. That started the celebratory brawl.

Lucy grabbed Juvia and pulled her across the room and as far from the fight as possible. They were immediately joined by Erza, Mira and Lisanna.

"Congratulations, Juvia!" The Celestial Spirit Wizard squealed, pulling the blue-haired woman into a tight embrace. After that, she pulled away just enough to grab Juvia's hand and inspect her engagement ring.

"It's so pretty!" Lisanna sighed dreamily.

"Tell us everything!" That demand came from a blushing Erza who looked more eager for the details than anyone else.

"It's very manly, Gray!" Elfman shouted, throwing a punch at the Ice Make Mage who moved to avoid it, but Cana's unexpected hit threw him off and he was hit from both directions.

"This is a shitty way to congratulate someone!" Gray complained, climbing back to his feet but the wide smile on his face proved he wouldn't want it any other way.

Juvia relayed the entire story to her friends. When she got to the part where Gray shouted his declaration that he'd marry her, every girl swooned. When she told them how he dropped to one knee right there in the kitchen and proposed, they all squeed.

"Juvia, what the hell are you telling them?!" Gray shouted, red-faced as he landed a jab to Natsu's gut.

"Only the truth, Gray-sama!" She called back with a smug grin.

"They don't need every detail!" He sidestepped a shot from Loki who'd opened his own gate only to catch a kick from Natsu.

"Yes, we do!" Lucy called back, causing all the women and most of the men in the room to laugh.

Although the news was a surprise that morning, they'd all seen it coming for a long time and the only reaction was elation. Gray and Juvia were the first of several engagements the members of Fairy Tail expected over the next several months.

The fights on one side of the room and the gossip on the other side of the room were wrapping up when the guildhall doors opened and Gajeel, Levy and Lily walked in. Levy looked hesitant, Lily looked at the surround chaos with a sigh and Gajeel looked smug, ignoring everything else happening in the room.

"Hey! We have an announcement!" Gajeel's deep voice boomed over all other noises in the room. "Levy's pregnant!"

Every person in the room froze mid-action except for Levy and Lily who each covered their face with their hands mortified.

"Well... that was one way to tell them..." Lily complained.


	3. Chapter 3

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

* * *

Chapter 3

The room was full of wizards frozen in mid-motion by Gajeel's announcement. No one was sure what to say. Most of them had known Levy since they were kids and the idea that any of them could become parents right now seemed impossible. Also, they had just been celebrating Gray and Juvia's engagement. Was it really okay to flip the switch on them that quickly?

The answer came from the bride-to-be herself. With a tremendous smile, Juvia waved to the couple still standing near the door and called out excitedly to her oldest friend. "Congratulations, Gajeel-kun! Levy-chan!" That melted the ice, and everyone quickly offered their own congratulations.

"Levy-chan!" Lucy took off like a shot and gave her best girlfriend a hug. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Lu-chan," the shorter girl muttered, burying her face into Lucy's shoulder, still mortified and dying to change the subject. "I heard Gray say something about being congratulated. What's going on?"

When Lucy pulled away from her friend, the blonde beamed like a proud parent. "Gray finally did it!"

"Did what?" Confused, Levy's eyes flitted to Gray and then back to Lucy, not comprehending. However, Gajeel heard the exchange and knew exactly what the Celestial Spirit Wizard was talking about.

The Iron Dragon Slayer crossed the room and stopped directly in front of Juvia looking every bit the scary big brother he aspired to be, but the blue-haired woman didn't flinch. Instead, Juvia simply held up her hand and showed him her ring while flashing him a grin. "Juvia has good news too!"

Levy watched the scene between the two ex-Phantom Lord guildmates and her jaw dropped. When her eyes flashed back to Gray, she realized that he looked as shocked about her news as she felt about his. "You're getting married?!"

Hearing the words so bluntly stated made Gray flush and, true to his tsundere personality, he snapped back right away. "You're having a baby?!"

That made Levy blush. Then they were both blushing and laughing at each other. Soon after everyone was laughing along with them.

Gajeel gave Juvia a rough side hug and softly murmured into her ear, "Good for you."

"You too!" The Water Mage quickly returned the hug and then rushed over to talk with Levy.

"Juvia is very happy for you, Levy-chan! Gajeel-kun will be a wonderful father."

"I think so too!" The Solid Script Wizard agreed with a smile that went from ear to ear. Levy, Juvia and Lily were the 3 people in the world who truly understood Gajeel so it was nice that the girls could support each other. "Now show me your ring!"

Chatter and gossip might have been at an all-time high in Fairy Tail that day as they celebrated the good news from four of the guilds core members. Bisca spend time answering questions from Levy while Mira and Erza spent the day planning a wedding that didn't even have a date yet.

Although they'd gotten to the guild before noon, it was dusk by the time Gray and Juvia could head back home. Natsu had tried to convince them to stay longer but when Lucy realized they were trying to escape, the Celestial Spirit Mage put a hand over the Dragon Slayers mouth and told them to leave before Natsu could come up with another idea to distract them.

The couple was halfway to Juvia's apartment when she looked over at Gray Fullbuster and it hit her all over again. This handsome, wonderful man was her fiancé. From now until forever, she belonged to him and he belonged to her. That was when Juvia knew she didn't want him to leave tonight... or any night for that matter. But, especially tonight. The blue-haired woman knew if he left her tonight, she'd never believe that it'd really happened.

However, if Juvia asked Gray to stay, it would sound like she was asking for more. She wanted to ask for more, but should she? Could she?! She tried to slow her pace to put a bit of distance between herself and Gray while she collected her thoughts but, to Juvia's surprise, he noticed right away.

"What are you doing?" He came to a stop at the same time as Juvia but indecision kept her eyes firmly locked on her boots so she couldn't see his expression.

"N-Nothing... Juvia is fine." She spoke quickly, awkwardly, proving that she wasn't fine.

"Riiiiiight..." The Ice Make Mage could see that marrying Juvia wasn't magically going to make her insecurities vanish, but he would just have to accept that it would be a work in progress. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward and stood right in front of her until she finally forced herself to meet his gaze. "_Now_ are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Juvia was nearly in tears by the time she spoke. Her anxiety was sky high, but her voice was barely a whisper. "Juvia doesn't want Gray-sama to leave tonight."

If her face turned red, it was nothing compared to Grays' because those weren't the words he'd been expecting. There was a heavy silence between them, neither not knowing what to say. Gray had his answer a heartbeat after she said the words, but it wasn't as easy to say it out loud.

Finally, he reached out and hugged her tightly, mostly so she couldn't see his face. He spoke directly in her ear so no one else would overhear. "Then I won't."

Gray took her hand and practically dragged Juvia the rest of the way to her place, partly due to nerves and partly due to anticipation. If they were on the same page, then there was nothing to hold them back. The future was theirs to do with as they please and, to be honest, they were both sick of denying themselves from the one thing they really wanted... each other.

When they got inside, Juvia suddenly remembered the mess she'd left in the kitchen. "Shit!" It was pretty rare that the Water Mage cursed but she'd forgotten all about it. Gray must have realized what she was after because when she took a step towards the kitchen, he seized her by the waist, whirled her around and pulled her directly into a kiss.

She only tensed in shock for a second before she was kissing him back. Her body fit into Gray's so well. The feel of his strong arms holding her tightly was like a dream come true. When he released her lips, he smiled down at her. "The kitchen can wait a little longer, right?"

Juvia just nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck. This was it and they both knew it. All their fears, anxieties and doubts began to fade away. After all, this was the right time, the right place, the right partner, the right future. In her arms, Juvia held the man that she literally couldn't live without and she knew that he felt the same way. There was nothing else to fear. This was the time to cherish.

The blue-haired woman leaned up to kiss his lips again and then pulled away to take his hand in hers. Knowing that they had forever meant that there was no rush. They could enjoy this moment. With that thought in mind, Juvia led Gray into her bedroom.

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Bedroom**


	4. Chapter 4 - SMUT WARNING

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

* * *

Chapter 4

Juvia's heart was racing, and she was sure that Gray could feel her hand shaking in his. It wasn't that she wasn't ready or that she was unsure. It was just her nerves. The Water Wizard just wanted everything to be perfect for Gray because Juvia already knew that it would be perfect for her.

They'd only gone a couple of steps into the room when Gray pulled her to a stop. "Juvia, wait a minute."

The blue-haired woman froze before turning around to meet his eyes. She could see that Gray was nervous too but more than anything, he looked worried. "Are you okay?"

"J-Juvia is fine." Her voice came out too sharp, and she spoke too quickly to sound natural.

The look of concern on Gray's face became more focused when he spoke again. "We don't have to do this..."

"No!" Juvia practically screamed and jumped forward, hugging his arm tight. "That's not it! Juvia wants to do it! She just..."

"Just what?" Gray didn't move. Until they sorted this out, he wouldn't press the issue either way. As he waited for her response, the Ice Devil Slayer watched Juvia's desperate expression melt into something he didn't understand.

"Juvia..." She began but faltered. However, after taking another moment to gather her courage, Juvia took a deep breath, met his eyes and told him exactly what was on her mind. The bluenette knew that she had to be honest, even if the truth was embarrassing. "Juvia wants to do this. ... She's wanted to do this for a long time..."

That truth made them both chuckle, lightening the mood in the room before she continued. "Juvia just doesn't want to… disappoint Gray-sama."

The Ice Make Wizards face went absolutely blank, as if he couldn't comprehend her words. Gray just stared at her. In return, she watched him carefully unsure of how to proceed. When the silence became uncomfortable, Juvia began to babble.

"It's just... Juvia has never done _this_ before and she wants to make Gray-sama happy and-"

Her words broke off when he kissed her so suddenly, so forcefully, that she would have fallen backwards if he hadn't caught her tightly in her arms. His intensity made Juvia forget all her reasons to be nervous. Instead, she just found herself trying to keep up with the Ice Make Wizard. With her mind now blank of everything but Gray, she melted into him.

His fingers curled into her hair, holding her close and pulling just slightly in a way that made Juvia feel possessed and wanted. It was a delicious feeling. Her arms wrapped around his back, pulling herself even tightly to him but still not feeling nearly close enough. Juvia could feel desire building in the pit of her stomach, radiating throughout her body. As the sensation grew, her ability to focus on anything other than the handsome man kissing her diminished.

After a long time, but not nearly long enough, Gray released her lips and pressed his forehead against hers. His eyes were closed, but he spoke fervently. "You will _not_ disappoint me." Gray said the words with such absolute confidence that Juvia couldn't dispute them. "Do you believe me?"

"Yes." This time she was the one to kiss him. This time she ran her hands through his hair, pulling his face to hers, taking the lead. His tongue matched hers, both tasting and being tasted. Their breaths became more rapid and their hands began to roam. His hands moved across her shoulders, down her back, and over her hip until he found her ass and grabbed enough to make her gasp, breaking the kiss and making Gray laugh. His voice sounded deeper than usual, more seductive and it made Juvia squirm in anticipation.

Next, his fingers found the buttons to her shirt and, beginning at her neck, slowly undid them one by one. After hanging out with Gray for so many years, Juvia had mastered the art of the quick strip but there was something much more exciting about the slow, methodical way he opened her shirt after each button and laid a kiss on her newly exposed bare skin. Gray even used just a touch of his magic to make each kiss cool on her fiery skin. By the time he opened the last button and fully removed her shirt, she was putty in his hands.

Gray had seen Juvia in just a bra or a bikini a hundred times and, honestly, the bra she currently wore covered her more than most. Yet, in this environment, in her apartment, together like this, he felt like he was seeing her for the first time. Although he'd always known, it struck him all over again just how beautiful the Water Wizard was. Her pale skin practically glowed in the pale light and he could see her chest heaving in anticipation.

Gray watched her for a long time and although it was flattering how appreciative his gaze, Juvia was running out of patience. She wanted to feel more of Gray, and she wanted to be completely possessed by him, body and soul. They had their entire lives to stare at each other. That thought made her snicker but before Gray could ask her what she was thinking, Juvia decided to add a little fuel to the fire.

Reaching back, the blue-haired woman unlatched her bra and shrugged out of it, letting it fall to the ground at Gray's feet. Without waiting for his next move, Juvia's hand went to her belt next. Unhooking the belt, she unbuttoned her skirt and let that pool at her feet too. All the while, she watched Gray's face as he watched her hands work quickly and efficiently. When she was done, she stood before the Ice Devil Slayer wearing nothing but her panties. She knew it might seem vain, but it pleased her to see him so affected by just the sight of her body because he had that same effect on her every single day.

"You're beautiful." He spoke softly, finally reaching out and putting his hands on her hips, pulling her close.

"Thank you." Her smile was practically angelic, and his need was becoming uncomfortable. With a groan that sounded more like a growl, he nipped at her neck, causing Juvia to giggle.

Encouraged, he pushed her backwards slowly, one step at a time. With each step, he placed a kiss on her. Her lips, her neck, her earlobe, her collarbone. When her legs finally hit the edge of the bed, Gray pushed her over playfully and Juvia hit the mattress with a shriek of delight.

Now it was her turn to watch Gray undress. The Water Wizard knew Gray had the superhuman ability to strip in a flash but this time, he didn't. He watched her as he pulled off his shirt slowly, tossing it to the floor near her clothes. Then he removed his pants in much the same way.

Juvia was grinning ear to ear, happy to finally be allowed to ogle the black-haired man without shame. She could see his muscles flex as he joined her on the bed, both wearing nothing but underwear. There wasn't a hint of embarrassment left between them. They were already way past that.

Reaching out, Juvia put her left hand to Gray's guild mark. He jumped slighting at her touch but did not pull away. There they laid on the bed, side by side, nearly chest to chest. Juvia's hand continued to trail down his chest and across his abs, while Gray's fingers lightly traced the side of her breast, down her side, across her hip and came to rest on her thigh.

When they kissed again, it was the most natural thing in the world. They met as equals but Juvia was happy when Gray took the lead. Juvia wasn't snow white or completely inexperienced but neither had gone all the way before either. There was something extra special about knowing that Gray would be the first and only person to give her this specific type of pleasure.

When Gray's hand found her breast for the first time since that mistake the very first day they'd met, he had the fleeting thought that Juvina had nothing on _his_ Juvia, but that thought passed as quickly as it'd come. He didn't have time to think about anything other than the Water Mage before him. Her breasts were full, firm and, at his touch, her nipples grew as hard. He could feel her breasts heave against his hand with every breath and when his fingers teased a nipple, he heard a soft but dangerously sexy moan escape her lips.

Before long, Juvia had enough teasing. She rolled closer to Gray, pressing her body to his. She threw her leg up over his hip, allowing her body to get close enough to grind into his obvious hot, rock hard erection but she didn't flinch. If he didn't know better, he'd swear she was grinding into him on purpose. Either way, she was driving him crazy and before long Gray was dangerously close to losing control.

Desperate to avoid potentially ruining their fun, Gray took over again. He might not have experience in this department, but it wasn't hard to figure out what Juvia liked. In a rush, he pushed Juvia on to her back and buried his face into her ample bosom. He took a breast in his mouth, teasing her nipple with his tongue. At the same time, his free hand slip down her flat stomach, across her pelvis and reaching into her panties until his fingers found her hot, wet core.

If Gray hadn't been practically holding her Juvia down as he assaulted her breast, she would have come off the bed. His finger ran slowly up and down, catching her clit with every slow stroke, making her legs jump slightly every time. That was a pretty good sign the Ice Devil Slayer was on the right track.

Juvia could tell that he was smiling even though she couldn't see his face. She wanted to push him away and make him lose control for once, but she couldn't. His fingers became more insistent, driving her thoughts to nothing but the pleasure he was giving her. Her breathing came in gasps and her body was beginning to pulse against his fingers. Just when Juvia thought she might explode, Gray stopped but before she could feel abandoned, his lips were on hers.

By now, Juvia's hunger was real! She wanted Gray Fullbuster. She needed him to fill her to her limit. As they kissed, her fingers crawled at his back desperately. He had driven her so close to that cliff that now she sought the relief that only he could give her.

As they kissed, Gray's fingers slowly moved her panties off her body before throwing them across the room. A few seconds later, his own underwear went flying in the same direction. She thought this would be the moment when Gray made Juvia his, but he had one more trick up his sleeve to torture the Water Mage. It occurred to him that not all that long ago, she had asked him to do it so Gray had no reason to deny her.

With a snicker, the Ice Make Wizard moved his kisses from her lips, leaving a trail of dozens of kisses across her skin on the way to his goal. He moved down the bed until he was exactly where he wanted to be. Gray met Juvia's wide eyes, so full of desire and with a smirk, he spread her legs so he could finally reach his goal.

"What are you doing?" Juvia gasped, when she realized what he was planning. Half-heartedly, Juvia tried to pull away, but he held her firmly in place and chuckled. "Do you really want me to stop?"

When she blushed but didn't give an answer, he had his answer. Not giving her the chance to argue, knowing that she wasn't actually complaining, Gray went all in. He buried his face between her thighs and felt completely enveloped in Juvia. He ran a finger across her opening first and then his tongue took over. He found the place he'd learned had the biggest effect on her and went to work. Within seconds, Juvia was squirming against him. She was already gasping, and her legs were twitching. As his tongue teased and flicked, his finger plunged into her core, finding a spot that made her shout out. She'd tried to muffle it with her hand, but it didn't work.

"Gray! Wait!"

The only thing that made him hesitate from bringing her over the brink was the fact that she'd said his name without -sama. That meant she was serious. For a split second he worried that something was wrong but when he saw the hungry look in her eyes, he knew that wasn't the case.

"Juvia wants _you_... please?" With the sexy, pleading expression in Juvia's eyes and the way her voice was practically begging, he wouldn't have denied her anything. The decision was even easier when the only thing she was asking for was himself.

He moved above Juvia's beautiful body and thanked whatever god had sent him this crazy, wonderful woman. While kissing her firmly, he filled her all at once. Neither had the patience or self-control to hold back any longer. His kiss muffled Juvia's scream of pleasure and within seconds they were bucking against each other, each groaning and gasping with every thrust.

Juvia's body was pulsing violently around him as he moved within her and it drove him even deeper. She found her release a few seconds before Gray and Juvia would later be embarrassed when a neighbor asked her to keep it down next time. When the last of the throes of passion faded, Gray collapsed next to her. Both were sweaty and breathing heavily but they shared a more wonderful relief than they'd ever dared to hope for. Now they truly belonged to each other, and they both understood that fact without saying a word.

Not long after, Juvia fell asleep in Gray's arms, her left hand resting on his chest so he could see her ring sparkle in the dim light, but the Ice Make Wizard was still wide awake. He felt a level of peace that he didn't expect. He was finally home, and he knew that no matter where he went in the world, Juvia was the one person who'd always be waiting for him to return. That was all he'd ever wanted in life and now it was his.


	5. Chapter 5

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 5

* * *

It was about 3 o'clock in the morning when Juvia woke up. She stretched with a yawn and felt a dull ache radiate through her most intimate places which brought back all the memories from the previous night. Her eyes quickly focused, and she glanced over to her right to find Gray sleeping right beside her. A quick inspection confirmed that they were both nude and her bed was still damp in some telltale areas. All those things proved it hadn't been a dream.

With her left thumb, Juvia felt the band of her engagement ring securely in place on her ring finger and a smile spread across her face. The one thing she'd always dreamed of became her reality. Silent tears trickled down her cheeks and the Water Wizard was happy that Gray was asleep so she could have this moment in private.

Throughout her lonely childhood and teenage years, Juvia's greatest wish was to find friends who would love and accept her. The day she met Gray Fullbuster, that had gotten the ball rolling. Quickly after that fateful meeting, she had found her true guild family, made wonderful friends and become close to the love of her life but all of that paled in comparison to the joy of knowing she'd found her happily ever after.

As she contemplated how far her life had come, Juvia considered taking a shower or putting on some clothes but with Gray so close, she didn't dare move away. She wanted to embrace this moment for as long as possible, so with a smile, Juvia cuddled closer to Ice Make Wizard. She laid her head on the edge of his pillow and attempted to go back to sleep but no sooner had she closed her eyes; Gray reached out to her.

He pulled her tightly to his chest and moved his arm around her so she could use it like a pillow. Finally, he laid his other arm across her waist. Gray held her just tight enough to make her feel needed. "Are you okay?" he whispered sleepily into her hair.

"Yes. Juvia has never been better." As she spoke the truthful words, she snuggled deeper into his embrace and fell into blissful sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Gray woke up when Juvia began to move. It was still early, and the sun was just beginning to rise but that was no big surprise since they'd fallen asleep way too early. However, he wasn't complaining. Yesterday had been the best day of his life so far and he wouldn't have changed it for the world.

When Juvia's big eyes blinked open and met his, the smile she gave him was radiant. "Good Morning, Gray-sama." Her voice was thick with sleep, but she sounded so content that it brought a smile to his face as well.

"Good Morning."

Juvia sat up without thinking and didn't bother covering up. She was mid-stretch, naked from the waist up when she realized her state of undress and turned bright red. To her credit, she didn't bother trying to cover up. She just stared at Gray like a deer in the headlights, causing the Ice Make Wizard to bark out a laugh.

Feeling mischievous, he pounced on her while she was unguarded, pushing her backwards against the bed and kissing her lips firmly. When he pulled back, he was pleased to see that Juvia had recovered. "I think we're way past the embarrassment stuff now, don't you?"

After brief consideration, Juvia snickered with a nod. "Gray-sama is probably right."

When they finally got out of bed, Juvia made Gray take a shower first while she changed the bedding and finally got around to cleaning that mess in the kitchen. Once she'd showered too, Juvia made coffee and they sat together at the table to relax.

For a little while, Gray and Juvia chatted about everything and nothing at all. Although they knew they should probably go over to the guild and check out the job board or see if anyone needed help, each kept making internal excuses for why they could wait a little longer. After the previous day, it felt like everything had changed between them and neither was quite ready to return to reality.

"I was thinking…" Gray began slowly when there was a lull in the conversation. Juvia could see that he was struggling to find the right words, so she waited patiently for whatever was on his mind. "We should get a house."

"A _house_?!" Her voice went up an octave on that second word. She wouldn't have been surprised if he'd said he was going to move in or if he invited her to move in with him but, a house was... well, a house! And it would be _their _house.

"We make enough money and it'd be nice to have a yard... and no neighbors..." He let that linger for a moment and then winked at her, causing her to flush. Had she been _that_ loud?! But before she could obsess too much about his gentle teasing, Gray dropped his real bombshell. "Besides, if we have a house, we'll have room when our family grows."

Juvia dropped her mug on the table so hard, coffee splashed in every direction, but she didn't even notice. "You mean... _kids_?!"

"Yes, kids... Unless you want to raise cats or something." Gray laughed easily at her reaction with a slight blush in his cheeks.

"Kids! Yes! Kids are what Juvia wants with Gray-sama!" She shouted the declaration so forcefully, it echoed through the room. Gray wanted to have kids with her, and he'd even said so right to her face!

"So... We should get a house?" he asked again, still laughing.

The Water Wizard knew her answer was obvious so instead of speaking, she threw herself into his arms, knocking his mug to the floor in the process. Ignoring the mess, she kissed him thoroughly. Somehow her life just kept getting better and better.

* * *

Three weeks later, Gray and Juvia had found the perfect house. It was fairly close to the guild, had a big yard and 3 bedrooms. The day Gray and Juvia told their friends about their new home, Lucy had innocently asked why they needed such a big place. The instant blushes from Gray and Juvia answered Lucy's question, leaving the Celestial Spirit Wizard more embarrassed that the couple. After that, no one else asked that question so they must have read between the lines.

On move-in day, Gray, Natsu and Gajeel did the heavy lifting while Juvia and Lucy worked on the unpacking. Levy had planned to help, but she wasn't feeling well and opted to stay home. The girls chatted about work, their guildmates, Levy's pregnancy and various other things until Lucy fell oddly silent. Her normally cheerful face fell flat, and it concerned Juvia.

"Lucy, is something wrong?" Juvia couldn't help but notice that the blonde-haired woman was actively avoiding her eyes.

"No... Maybe... Yes... Oh, I don't even know!" Lucy's whined, dropping her hands into lap with a slap, frustrated. "Juvia... I don't even know what to do anymore!"

"What happened?!" Although Juvia had no idea what Lucy was thinking, it worried the Water Wizard to see tears forming in her friends' eyes. She was just about to call out for Natsu to do something, but Lucy's next words brought her up short.

"I'm jealous. ... I'm sorry, Juvia. ... But I'm so jealous of you and Gray!" Lucy wiped a few stray tears from her cheek roughly and then explained. "I've been in love with Natsu for so long... But no matter that we do, nothing ever changes!"

"But Natsu loves you!" Juvia reinforced, not sure how else to help.

"I knowwwwwww," Lucy wailed, frustrated and exasperated. "It's so frustrating!"

"Has Lucy told Natsu-san how she feels?"

The look of absolute horror on her friends' face, gave Juvia her answer before Lucy's words. "N-No."

"But... if Lucy doesn't tell Natsu and he won't tell you, nothing will ever change!" It wasn't that Juvia was suddenly an expert on relationships, it was more that the Water Wizard had always been incredibly forward. She'd never once shied away from her feeling for Gray-sama, so it only made sense that she suggests Lucy do the same.

"What do I even say after all this time? What if he doesn't want anything to change?" As she spoke, Lucy voice transitioned from frustration to insecurity.

"Lucy knows Natsu better than anyone, so she definitely knows better than that."

The blonde-haired woman already knew what she had to do before confessing to Juvia, but Lucy just really needed someone to give her a push in the right direction. It was hard to watch all their friends moving forward with their lives while she and Natsu remained in limbo. First there was Elfman and Evergreen, then Gray and Juvia, Gajeel and Levy and Jellal and Erza. If all those people could cross that line from friendship to lovers, she and Natsu could too.

"You're right, Juvia." With a smile, Lucy met Juvia's eyes and nodded once. "If I want change, I have to make that change myself."

"Lucy will finally tell Natsu?!"

Just as the words came out of Juvia's mouth, three men walked into the room and overheard that last line.

"Tell me what?" Natsu questioned, casually with a big smile, causing both women to panic.

"Nothing! Never mind! Juvia was wrong!" Juvia blurted out awkwardly, making it obvious that the women were hiding something.

Lucy jumped between Natsu and Juvia, hoping to distract the Dragon Slayer who was now eyeing the blue-haired woman strangely. Thankfully, she was good at distracting him. "It's nothing, Natsu. I'll tell you later!" she said brightly, hoping he didn't notice her slightly shaking hands. To her relief, Natsu didn't but Gray and Gajeel did and it took no time for the black-haired men to figure out what the women had been discussing.

Gray knew he had to come to Lucy's rescue. Whether she was going to confess to Natsu or not, this probably wasn't the right time or place. Speaking up, the Ice Make Wizard directed the attention on himself, buying the Celestial Spirit Wizard time to compose herself. "We got all the furniture moved in. Do you guys want to see it?"

After that, they toured the large house, moving a few things at Juvia's request. Within minutes, no one was thinking about what Lucy had to say except for the two women. One was nervous, and the other was anxious. But if Lucy could do this, Juvia knew their happiness could be just as wonderful as hers.

Just as things were wrapping up and everyone was walking toward the front door, Gajeel finally asked the one question that had the guild buzzing ever since he and Levy tied the knot a week earlier. "So, when are you two getting married?"

That question threw Gray and Juvia for a loop. They were engaged, happy, and would now be living together so choosing a firm wedding date hadn't seemed all that critical yet. When the couple leveled him with blank stares, Gajeel realized they hadn't even talked about it. As a new husband, dad-to-be and the Water Mage's best friend, the Iron Dragon Slayer got right in Gray's face, being way too overprotective. "You're gonna marry Juvia _soon_, right, Gray?!"

The aggressive question made Juvia break in between the men, pushing her oldest friend out the front door. "Stop it, Gajeel-kun. Go home! Levy-chan is waiting!"

A few minutes later, their friends left without Gray and Juvia being forced to provide a wedding date which was nothing short of a miracle. Obviously, it was a topic they would have to breech at some point but today was not that day. Of course, it was important to both of them but not the _most _important thing.

When their friends were out of sight, Gray and Juvia went back into their new home. Gray closed the door behind them and then reached out to Juvia, drawing her into his arms with an amused smirk. "So, what was all this about Lucy telling Natsu something?"


	6. Chapter 6

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 6

* * *

"Lucy is going to tell Natsu that she'd in love with him." Juvia told Gray with a smile, happy to be pulled into his arms, chest to chest.

"Obviously." Gray rolled his eyes. "But why now?"

It surprised the Ice Make Wizard when Juvia blushed and diverted her eyes from his. When she answered, the blue-haired woman sounded embarrassed. "Lucy said she was jealous of Juvia and Gray-sama... She wants a happy ending too."

"Well... Don't worry about them too much," Gray said, nuzzling into her neck and doing a good job distracting her thoughts. "They'll figure it out. Natsu's an idiot but he won't need a lot of convincing."

"Okay," the Water Mage agreed, melting further into his embrace, happy to follow his lead.

After that, Gray and Juvia didn't think about anyone else for the rest of the night.

* * *

When Natsu, Lucy and Gajeel left Gray and Juvia's new home, the Iron Dragon Slayer was still irritated. For a man who constantly acted like he didn't care about anything, he might be one of the people who worried about his friends the most. It wasn't that Gajeel didn't trust that Gray would marry Juvia. He just wanted to help the Water Woman to finally get what she'd always wanted. Oh well! Whatever! At least she was happy.

Natsu and Lucy were walking side by side a few steps behind him when the Celestial Spirit Wizard spoke up, trying to calm him down. "Gray and Juvia will be fine."

Gajeel's reaction was instantaneous. Fired up all over again, he spun around so quickly that it made Lucy jump and snapped Natsu to instant alertness. "No way! You don't get to have an opinion on this until you get your own shit sorted out." The Iron Dragon Slayer's eyes moved from her to Natsu and back pointedly and then let out a huff of exasperation. "After you work it out, _then _we'll talk, deal?!"

Lucy's jaw dropped and her face blanched. She had nothing to say to that. Gajeel's attack was unexpected yet even she could appreciate that he had a point. Who was she to talk about other people's relationships when her own was non-existent? So, still in shock, she simply nodded, jaw still hanging open.

Natsu watched the exchange completely confused. He was so focused on the fact that Gajeel had snapped at Lucy, that he hadn't even bothered to listen to his words. "Hey! You don't have to be a jerk just because you're mad at Gray!"

That turned the bigger man's focus to Natsu. Gajeel was just opening his mouth to tell the Fire Dragon Slayer all the reasons why he and Lucy were even more frustrating that Gray and Juvia, but he saw Lucy shake her head slightly and he came up short. The Celestial Spirit Wizard was looking up at him with her huge pleading eyes, clearly begging him not to do it so he stopped. He'd always been weak to big doe eyes so, with a heavy sigh, he spun around and headed towards home. His parting gift was one last word of advice for Lucy. "Just spit it out so we can celebrate for you guys too!"

A few moments later, Gajeel was out of sight, Natsu was still confused and Lucy was working on regaining her composure.

"What was his problem?!" Natsu complained, turning back to Lucy looking irritated. "Why didn't you tell him off or something?"

It was sweet to see Natsu mad on her account but she couldn't focus on that. Lucy knew she had to do this now before she lost her nerve. Both Juvia and Gajeel were cheering her on in their own ways and deep-down Lucy knew she couldn't stand this indecision anymore. It might end up being the best or worst decision of her life but either way, at least she'd have her answer.

Ignoring Natsu's question, Lucy turned to the Dragon Slayer with renewed intensity. "Natsu, I need to tell you something."

"... Okay..." The blonde woman's sudden mood change took him aback and it was his turn to be surprised. Yet, being Natsu, he recovered quickly. "What's up?"

Her conversation with Juvia flashed into Lucy's head. She had to tell Natsu how she felt in no uncertain terms and she had to tell him what she wanted. "Natsu..." Lucy took a deep breath, let it out and then bared her soul to the unsuspecting man. "Natsu, I've been in love with you since I was 17 years old! I'm sure you already know that but... but... I want us to have what Gray and Juvia have and Gajeel and Levy-chan too."

Now that the dam was broken, all of Lucy's pent-up thoughts began to spill out along with a few stray tears. "I feel like we're stuck in this weird place where we can't move forward, and I don't know how to change that. ... I know you care about me, but-"

Natsu's sudden crushing hug cut off her words. She couldn't see the Dragon Slayer's face, but she could feel his body shaking slightly in her embrace. Natsu wasn't any better at this relationship thing than she was and that had always been part of their problem. Yet when he began to speak into her ear, his voice was that deep, intense tone that she couldn't ignore.

"I don't just _care about you_," he whispered but his voice full of meaning. "I love you too, Lucy."

"I know," she breathed in return.

When he pulled away from her, he kept a firm grip on her arms and looked into her eyes. "I told you we'd be together forever."

"I know that, but... I'm selfish. I want more... I-I want us to be a family!"

Their gazes remained locked for a time until that big signature smile of Natsu's spread across his face. "You already are my family."

"But that's..." Thinking Natsu wasn't getting the point, she quickly tried to explain herself, but the sakura-haired man cut her off with a laugh.

"I know what you mean, Lucy. I'm just saying... you and Happy have been my family for a long time now. I've always seen it like that."

"Then why didn't you do anything?!" She was complaining, but no answer was needed or given. They both knew the answer. They'd been afraid. Afraid of change. Afraid of losing what they had. Afraid of scaring the other person off. It all seemed silly now, but it was true.

Instead of answering, Natsu leaned forward and kissed Lucy for the first time. It was hesitant and sweet, and they were both awkward, but it was perfect. It didn't go any further than that. It was simply a long, lingering kiss full of love.

When they finally moved apart, Natsu grinned at Lucy. "So, when are we getting married?"

That sudden shift of everything was so Natsu that Lucy wasn't even surprised. The Celestial Spirit Wizard just started to laugh. Then Natsu started to laugh. Soon the couple was doubled over by a combination of relief, happiness and excitement for whatever the future might bring.

As they regained their composure, Natsu turned to Lucy looking surprisingly serious. He took her hands in his and got down onto his knees before her. He looked more like he was begging than proposing but that didn't bother Lucy one bit. "Lucy Heartfilia, will you marry me?"

"I'd love to."

When Natsu got back to his feet, he kissed her for the second time but this time it was much different. This time there was an urgency to it and when the kiss deepened, Lucy could feel the stirrings of all sorts of new emotions and sensations just begging to be explored.

The kiss broke off too soon, leaving Lucy a bit unsteady. It was Natsu's words that brought her back to reality. His smile had turned far too devious, and he chuckled darkly. "We should go get married now before Gray. That would really surprise him!"

Despite herself, Lucy guffawed. Leave it to Natsu to turn even marriage into a competition. However, if he meant it, there was no way she would say no. They'd waited long enough. Lucy would marry Natsu the second she had the chance.

* * *

The next day, Gray and Juvia were having lunch in the crowded guild hall. To their relief, no one had mentioned the wedding date topic, so they were happy to let it slide for now. Gray couldn't help thinking that it might be easier for them to elope. Then they could just come home married, everyone would leave them alone and he and Juvia could move on with their lives. After all, being together was the end goal, not a major wedding. Although Gray loved the idea, he wasn't sure what Juvia would think. He was considering asking her when everything changed in a flash.

Natsu busted through the doors of the guildhall like usual, followed by Lucy and Happy. The latter two looked excited over something but Natsu looked positively smug.

"I'm assuming Lucy's confession went good yesterday," Gray whispered to Juvia with a smirk, making the Water Mage giggle and nod her agreement.

After surveying the room and finding his target, Natsu walked straight up to the Ice Make Wizard, still grinning. Lucy quickly took a seat across from Juvia and Happy sat down on the table between the women. All eyes in the room were on the Fire Dragon Slayer when Natsu leaned forward right in Gray's face like he did whenever he was trying to pick a fight. "Gray! This time we beat you guys!"

"HUH?!" Gray had been ready to accept Natsu's challenge, regardless of whatever dumb reason he had for wanting to fight but the smugness, Lucy's sudden blushing and the fact that he'd said "_we _beat _you guys_" all set off some major red flags. "Wait... What?!"

Juvia eyes flashed from Natsu to Lucy and then back to the Dragon Slayer. "Did you...?"

"Yup, we got married!" Natsu announced cheerfully, holding up his left hand to display a simple wedding band, oblivious to the scored of people eavesdropping who were shocked into silence.

When Juvia looked back to the embarrassed Lucy, the Celestial Spirit Mage pulled her hand up onto the table to display a similar simple solitaire ring on her own left hand. Gray and Juvia looked at each other and then back to their friends before Gray finally asked the same question on everyone's mind.

"All this happened since yesterday?!" The Ice Devil Slayer was practically shouting as he looked between his friends in absolute shock. People who didn't know the couple well had said Gray and Juvia were moving too quickly but this was on a whole different level.

"Please don't be mad." Lucy whispered to Juvia, but the blonde-haired woman shouldn't have worried.

Juvia was already in happy tears when she climbed over the table and threw her arms around Lucy's neck. "Juvia would never be mad. Juvia is so happy! Congratulations, Lucy, Natsu!"

Gray had been planning to give Natsu a huge lecture on at least _trying_ to do things the right way but when he saw how happy Lucy looked while she returned Juvia's hug, he gave up. It wasn't worth it. Natsu was always going to do things his way and somehow Lucy always went right along with him. There wasn't any point in wasting his breath. At least they were happy...

The evening Natsu and Lucy explained what had happened. After they'd decided to get married, they found a small church near the guild and a priest who was more than happy to marry the infamous couple. After that, the rest was history yet privately Lucy confessed to Juvia that they hadn't done _that_ yet. In true Natsu fashion, the Dragon Slayer acted like the marriage was no big deal but to their guildmates, it was earth-shattering.

At some point, Gray and Juvia managed to break away from the center of the impromptu celebration to talk privately. When Gray turned to the Water Mage, he could see that she had something on her mind as well. "You know... Maybe we should do the same thing... Just go get married on our own."

The blue-haired woman had been thinking the same thing and was just about to say so when a deep, dangerous voice stopped her short. "Don't you dare, Gray Fullbuster!"

It was Cana and her deep voice brought the room to a standstill. The dark-haired woman was only a few feet away looking as serious as she sounded.

To their surprise, Mirajane was right at Cana's side and her sweet voice was laced with her own threat. "Gajeel and Levy. Natsu and Lucy. Jellal and Erza... No one had a real wedding. You aren't going to deny us again, are you?" The dark gleam in Mira's eyes instantly put Gray and Juvia on the right path.

"No! Not at all!" Gray blurted out quickly, Juvia backing him up a moment later.

"Don't worry! Gray and Juvia will plan a big wedding, ok?!"

That was enough to appease Cana and Mira and after a few more promises to not elope, the women finally headed back to the party. Once the were out of earshot, the couple let out deep sighs of relief.

"Juvia thinks we'll probably need to set a date..." she muttered, suddenly feeling tired.

"I think you're right," Gray agreed, feeling the same.

Thank goodness they'd already moved forward with their life together on their own terms because apparently this actual wedding was going to have very little to do with the couple and everything to do with satisfying their jilted guildmates, but that was okay. As long as Gray and Juvia were in it together, they were confident it would all work out okay.


	7. Chapter 7 - Smut Warning

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 7

* * *

When Gray and Juvia walked home that night, both were dazed by the turn of events. It still surprised Gray that Natsu had managed to get married before him. It wasn't that the Ice Devil Slayer cared about Natsu's ridiculous competition. It was just that he couldn't believe the Dragon Slayer had taken that leap without Erza here to set him on the right path. For some reason, he'd always assumed the scarlet-haired woman would have a hand in both of their weddings yet here they were, moving forward without their older sister here to see it.

Gray guessed this just went to show how much they'd both grown up over the last few years. With a chuckle, Gray also knew he had to give some of the credit to Juvia and Lucy as well. If not for them, neither he nor Natsu would have become the men they were today. With that thought, Gray reached out and took a surprised Juvia's hand, squeezing it tight. He'd told her this before the war with Alvarez, but Gray was still happy that Juvia was still always here by his side.

"Does Gray-sama mind" Juvia asked out of the blue, sounding slightly nervous as she peeked in his direction.

"About the wedding?" Gray was startled that she was even worried about that and answered quickly. "No. Not really."

He watched the Water Wizard let out a sigh of relief and only then did he realize that he'd been so caught up in his thoughts that he'd given Juvia the wrong idea all together. "Okay... good. Juvia doesn't care either way, but she wants Gray-sama to be happy."

The more that Gray thought about it, the more he thought Mirajane and Cana might be on the right path after all. Not for himself so much, but for Juvia. "Admit it. In all your fantasies, you've always pictured a big church wedding, right?"

The blush that spread across her cheeks was his answer and he made a mental note to thank his meddling friends the next time he saw them. Maybe Juvia didn't care how they got married _now_, but he never wanted his wife to regret that she didn't get every bit of that big wedding she'd always dreamed of. Besides, maybe his parents would be watching over them. If so, he was sure they'd want him to do it right too.

"Tell me about your dream wedding." Gray's words took Juvia so off-guard that she stopped walking and turned to stare at him.

"D-Does Gray-sama really want to know? Juvia has... a very... detailed imagination." Even her ears were red, making her look adorable. She was so embarrassed that it made Gray want to know even more.

"I know all about your overactive imagination," Gray chuckled with a nod. "So, spit it out already. How do you envision our wedding?"

So, she did and even Gray was amazed by how much thought she'd put into every detail. A few times he could tell that she was holding back information but with some gentle encouragement, she would give in. As Juvia was telling her plans, she got more and more enthusiastic and soon her eyes were practically dancing with excitement.

When they got home, Juvia was still in the middle of their wedding so he pulled her down onto the couch beside him while she finished. When it was over, her face turned red all over again with the realization that she had just spent a full 20 minutes explaining her perfect wedding to the man in question. She quickly put her hands up defensively and sputtered, "But this was all just Juvia's dream. We don't have to do any of it."

Although his fiancée looked horrified, Gray was pleasantly surprised. Nothing in her plans were absurd or unacceptable. In fact, her dream wedding actually sounded really nice and it would _definitely _appease their guildmates. "We should do it."

"W-What?!" Juvia's big eyes blinked at him uncomprehendingly.

"We should have your dream wedding." He smiled at her gently and wrapped an arm around the still shocked woman's' shoulder. "If we're having a big wedding, we should enjoy it, right?"

"Really?" Her eyes were still huge and unsure, but he could see realization beginning to set in. Before long, she was beaming from ear to ear. "_REALLY_?!"

It took a lot of effort for Gray not to laugh at her enthusiasm, but he managed to hold it in, happy that she was so happy. "Yeah. Let's do it. We'll plan your dream wedding."

He had been fully expecting the Water Wizard to jump into his arm. He hadn't been expecting her to jump into his lap, straddle him and kiss him firmly on the lips. She clung to him like that for a long time before leaning back enough to meet his eyes. "Thank you, Gray-sama. Juvia is ecstatic."

The blue-haired woman was in heaven. There was no other way to explain how she felt. Not only did Juvia get to tell him about her dreams, Gray-sama was going to help her make them come true. She felt amazing. Now she wanted to make him feel amazing too.

Juvia leaned forward and pressed her lips to his neck, just behind his ear. From there she moved slowly, running her lips gently across his skin, brushing his earlobe, along his jawline and then back to his lips for a deep kiss. Gray's hands pulled her tight to him as her tongue moved with his, tasting him while she breathed in his scent. Her body pressed into his until she could feel his own interest growing.

Gray allowed Juvia to pull off his shirt and enjoyed this rare occurrence of the Water Mage taking control. He worked on removing her top while her hands moved across his shoulders, down along his strong arms, across his well-defined abs until that found the button to his pants.

The Ice Devil Slayer finally managed to remove her clothes from the waist up and leaving distracting kisses across Juvia's collarbone as she worked to remove his pants. After a little fumbling, she managed to get Gray's pants and his underwear tossed aside. When she was satisfied that he was completely nude, Juvia went to work. Sliding back onto his knees, Juvia fingers found his manhood and wrapped around him. Carefully, methodically, she ran her fingers down his length.

Juvia felt Gray shutter beneath her, affected by what she was doing which only encouraged her. Kissing his lips first, she caught his bottom lip in her teeth, nipping just enough to break his restraint. Reaching out, the Ice Make Wizard grabbed his tightly and kissed her thoroughly, conveying his interest with his intensity but she managed to pull back and smile at him.

"This is Juvia's turn to make Gray-sama feel good."

Juvia kissed his collarbone, his adam's apple and the hollow of his neck before climbing off his lap and moving lower. The blue-haired woman left kisses across his chest and along his stomach just as her fingers had until she reached her destination.

All this time, her hand was still gently running along Grays' sizable length, making him squirm slightly in anticipation but he was trying hard to be patient. She could see it on his face.

Finally, Juvia kissed the base of his shaft. She let her soft lips drift slowly up the length, allowing her breath to warm his skin until she reached the tip. The Water Wizard took him gently into her mouth at first, tracing along the head, feeling him grown even firmer in her mouth. Slowly, she moved up and down his length, letting her teeth just barely graze his skin. From the way Gray's breathing quickened, she assumed it felt good.

Juvia took her time, enjoying her chance to drive him crazy like he had done to her so many times in the past few weeks. Before long, she could tell when the fun was truly beginning to drive him wild. That was when she began to work quicker, sucking a little harder, pressing her lips just a little tighter around his length and when she heard Gray moan, she realized her own need was nearly as great as his.

Gray's fingers wound into her hair, holding her even tighter to him, giving her even more motivation to continue her assault but just when she thought he would let go, he pulled her back. She was mildly confused until he brought Juvia to her feet and had her skirt and panties off in a flash before pulling her back onto his lap. Sitting down right against his erection made her own body respond at once. Juvia knew she needed the release as much as he did. She hadn't known that giving pleasure would make her so wound up.

Gray put his arms around Juvia, planning to lie her down on the couch but Juvia held her ground and when he met her eyes, it took him a moment to figure out what she was thinking. Once he did, although it surprised him, the black-haired man was definitely not going to complain.

Juvia was a little nervous because she hadn't done it quite like this before, but it didn't matter. She was far too invested to chicken out now. The bluenette positioned herself above Gray and looked into his eyes. There she saw the same urgency and desire that she felt, washing all her inhibitions away. She kissed his lips once, twice and then pressed her forehead to his and sat down, taking in his full length all at once. The Water Mage bit her lip to hold back her voice but even so, she moaned erotically at the same time that Gray took in a sharp breath.

With his hands on her hips, Gray helped her as they began to move, grinding into each other. In this position, they were able to reach new places, sending fresh waves of sensations racing through their bodies. Before long, the Water Mage was gasping for air, her fingers digging into Gray's shoulders as she moved in increasingly erratic ways, coming closer to her own climax.

Gray moved for them both, hands still holding her hips tightly until he was right at his climax. That was when he grabbed Juvia and pulled her down to him, kissing her with all the passion flowing through his body. Together, their bodies shuttered. They gasped for air between kisses but neither willing to stop just yet. No matter how long they held each other, it never felt like enough and they both hoped that never changed.

* * *

The next day, Gray and Juvia went back through some of the major things they wanted if they were having this big wedding. Some things were a no-brainer like Asuka as the flower girl. Other things were a little more difficult like who should be best man, Natsu or Leon. (Natsu won.) But, all in all, their decisions came together pretty easily and there didn't seem to be any major points that they disagreed on. It made Gray happy to see Juvia's excitement beginning to shine though and, truthfully, her enthusiasm was beginning to make him feel excited too.

~~ 3 Months Until Gray and Juvia's Wedding ~~


	8. Chapter 8

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 8

* * *

Over the next month, Gray and Juvia spent their free time taking various jobs. Most of the time Juvia was off with Gajeel and Lily since Levy was out of commission with minor pregnancy complications while Gray was off with Team Natsu minus Erza. They'd decided to work really hard until the wedding, so they'd be able to take a proper honeymoon later. Gray and Juvia didn't even have a destination in mind, but they were going to go _somewhere_ on their own.

Juvia knew Gray was disappointed that Erza was away with no clear word on when she would return. A few days after they'd announced their engagement, Jellal had come to Fairy Tail and spirited her away, at least that was how Gray and Natsu saw it. In reality, he'd come and confessed that he was in love with their scarlet-haired friend. Two days later, she'd gone off on an extended vacation to see where their lives would take them.

The Water Wizard would have made Erza her Maid of Honor in a heartbeat. The Requip Wizard was the first person who'd supported her feelings for Gray and had always encouraged Juvia not to give up. She'd also pointed Gray in the right direction a few times as well. However, when Juvia suggested they try to find Erza, Gray refused. As much as he wanted her there, he knew Erza was trying to move forward too, and he didn't want to do anything to dampen their progress.

* * *

The couple had provided Mira and Cana with their "list of demands" (as Gray called it) and left it to their friends to figure out the details. It wasn't that Gray and Juvia didn't care, but they didn't have the first idea how to plan any event, let alone a wedding. Better to leave it to the professionals. Cana and Mira might not have the experience, but the women made up for that with their enthusiasm.

They wanted their wedding party to include their closest friends so, with Erza away, Juvia picked her best friend, Meredy to be her Maid of Honor with Lucy and Wendy as her bridesmaids. Natsu would be Best Man, joined by Lyon and Gajeel.

During the planning sessions, Gray mentioned he would be fine having the wedding in the guildhall, but their wedding planners put an immediate stop to that. They were adamant that the couple had too many friends across Fiore to fit in the guildhall. In fact, according to the Cana and Mirajane, the only reasonable place to consider was Kardia Cathedral which the Ice Devil Slayer thought was overkill. The only reason he refrained from telling them _exactly _what he thought was the knowledge that getting married in a church had been part of Juvia's dream wedding plan.

* * *

About two months before the wedding, Gray and Juvia were lying in bed, enjoying a rare night when both were home from their jobs and able to spend time together. Although it's only been a week apart, it felt like ages.

"Juvia really missed Gray-sama." The blue-haired woman was lying on her stomach by his side, smiling up at him.

"Why don't you just take jobs with us now? Lucy and Wendy are always asking about you and you're more than strong enough to keep up..." Although his words sounded like a flippant, Gray had thought long and hard before inviting her to join Team Natsu. The others had assumed Juvia would join the team once they'd gotten engaged, but Gray had held off.

Gray wanted Juvia to join the team, and she'd be a huge asset, but the Water Mage had been a freelancer since joining Fairy Tail and a lot of their guildmates depended on her to help them out on tougher jobs. If she joined Team Natsu, a lot of other weaker teams in the guild might struggle.

"Gray-sama is asking Juvia to join Team Natsu?" Her eyes lit up like sparklers but then just as quickly, the moment passed and with obvious reluctance, she dropped her eyes and shook her head. "Juvia appreciates the offer, but she already promised Levy that she'd help Gajeel and Lily until the baby is born."

Gray could feel the waves of depression radiating from the Water Wizard, so he reached out and gathered her into his arms, squeezing her tight. "Hey…" He waited for her to look back up at him and the Ice Devil Slayer wasn't surprised to see unshed tears in her eyes. "Make me a promise."

He watched her sad eyes shift to confusion and when he spoke again; he made sure to speak clearly so she understood. "I get that you made a promise and I love you for helping them, but when you're finished, promise me you'll join our team."

Gray wasn't jealous of Gajeel, he never had been and never would be. But it still bothered him that just when he was ready to have Juvia by his side, she had prior commitments with her oldest friend. The rational side of him knew that Levy was having a rough time and the only way his childhood friend could get her husband out of the house was to have Juvia drag him off on jobs. (Anyone else who'd tried to get involved had been sent packing.) They all knew Gajeel just had trouble saying no to Juvia, so it worked. Gray knew the feeling well, but he didn't have to like it.

"Juvia promises. Juvia would love to be on the team with Gray-sama and everyone else!" Her eyes were shining brightly again, and any depression had been wiped away in the blink of an eye.

When Juvia looked at him like that, as if he was the answer to all her prayers, it made him want to whisk her away despite her promise. That was part of the reason he was always so tsundere with her. She was overpowering. Yet now that he's chosen to be happy with the Water Wizard, the little things that used to make him so anxious and overwhelmed now seemed a lot more endearing.

That night Juvia was content when she fell asleep in Gray's arms. She'd always wanted to be a member of Team Natsu. Of course, in the beginning it was just to be closer to Gray but before long, she'd grown close to everyone and now the Water Wizard couldn't imagine anything better than being on a team with her soon-to-be husband and most of their closest friends.

* * *

A week later, Gajeel, Lily and Juvia were headed back from their job, discussing Levy and the bombshell announcement that they were expecting twins. Although he'd put on a tough face in front of Levy, Gajeel was a mess in front of Lily and Juvia. The Iron Dragon Slayer would have killed them if he knew that both Lily and Juvia reported everything to Levy after each job.

Gajeel worried about Levy being so tired, getting sick every day and having to spend so much time in bed. Lily and Juvia spent a majority of their time trying to convince Gajeel that his wife was stronger than he gave her credit for. They also pointed out that he needed to calm down or he'd just stress Levy out even more.

When Gajeel finally reached his lecture limit, he turned on Juvia and asked her a completely unexpected question. "When are you and Gray planning to have kids?"

As the Dragon Slayer had predicted, the Water Wizard turned bright red and didn't have an immediate answer. Maybe it wasn't fair to blindside her like this but if it got them off his back for a minute, he was willing to play dirty.

"J-Juvia... Doesn't know. Gray-sama wants kids... and we have a big house... but…" The bluenette was muttering to herself, trying not to act horribly embarrassed but failing miserably.

"Well, you need to hurry it up so my kids will have someone to play with. Gihihihi."

Juvia was at stroke levels of embarrassment, when Lily stepped between them in his large form. "That's enough, Gajeel. She's about to pass out."

"Hey, I'm just saying... There's no time like the present!"

* * *

"Juvia! Let. Us. See!" Lucy called to her from the waiting room where she, Levy, Cana, Mira and Wendy were waiting but she couldn't come out just yet. This was it... this was the dress that she would wear to marry Gray Fullbuster and she needed a few more minutes to take it all in on her own.

The ballgown dress was solid white with a semi-sweetheart neckline. The skirt was full and flowed down to the floor. It was a simple design but with her hair done up and the flowers, it would be perfect. It made Juvia feel like a princess which seemed fitting for getting married at the cathedral.

Once she'd had her moment, when the Water Wizard was fairly sure she wouldn't cry, Juvia walked out of the fitting room to show her friends. The moment they laid eyes on her; Lucy was on her feet. "You look beautiful! Gray will love it!"

"Juvia-san, it looks perfect! You look like a model," Wendy gasped, looking up at her with the adoring eyes of a younger girl envisioning herself getting married. It made the Water Mage wonder who the youngest Dragon Slayer envisioned herself marrying. Juvia made a mental note to ask her later.

While the rest of her friends offered their approval, Cana and Mira agreed that it was the perfect dress for a cathedral wedding, especially if she wore a long veil. They were so wrapped up in their ideas that Juvia didn't have the heart to tell the women she had no intention of wearing said veil. A small hair clip veil, no problem, but she didn't want her view of Gray obstructed for even a second during their ceremony.

* * *

**~~ 5 Weeks until Gray and Juvia's Wedding ~~**


	9. Chapter 9

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 9

* * *

Juvia's alarm lacrima was going off, but she didn't want to move. The wedding was only four weeks away, so she'd spent half the night going over details with Cana and Mirajane while Gray was away on a job. They talked about flowers, music, seating arrangements, cake flavors and anything else they could think of. By the time she'd gotten home, her head was spinning, she was exhausted, and all she wanted to do was sleep for a week. Maybe if Gray was home, she could've been motivated to move, but he wasn't home until later that night.

The Water Wizard considered taking the day off but if she did, Gajeel probably would as well and she still had her promise to Levy to keep. With an irritated groan, Juvia finally sat up and turned off the alarm. The job was only a half-day of work and located in Magnolia. She'd be home in time to make dinner for Gray. Tired or not, she knew she needed to be an adult. With that thought, Juvia dragged herself into the shower and got ready for the day.

That night, Juvia made dinner as planned and had it on the table when Gray got home. The blunette was so happy to see Gray that she nearly cried. All she'd wanted to do was relax at home with the Ice Devil Slayer and catch him up on all the wedding decisions that had been made over the last few days.

They had a good time after dinner discussing both the wedding plans and the zealot level dedication of their wedding planners. They spent a good day of the evening cracking themselves up over little things and it was wonderful.

"Oh! Gray-sama. Gajeel has been pestering Juvia about something lately. Do you mind if Juvia asks you a question?" Her question was worded oddly, and the blue-haired woman didn't quite meet his eyes which concerned him. But then Gray remembered that the question was coming from Gajeel so he couldn't imagine it being _that_ bad.

"Sure. What's the question?"

"Well… Gajeel wanted to know when we were planning to... well... have children… and Juvia didn't know how to answer…?" Her cheeks were crimson as she stumbled over her words but when she saw Gray's demeanor change, so she quickly added. "Juvia isn't pregnant or anything! She just... didn't know."

The Ice Devil Slayer let out an audible sigh of relief. Gray would have been thrilled if Juvia _was_ pregnant but saying it'd be a shock would be an understatement. He definitely wanted children, but he hadn't envisioned it right away. Although Gray had never really thought about when having kids was a good idea, he knew he needed to do his best to give her an answer since she'd asked.

It took Gray a minute to collect his thoughts but when he did, he reached out to take her hand and squeezed it. "I guess maybe in a few years. You're barely 20 and I'm only 21, so we still have time and it'd be nice to have some time alone together. Besides, you haven't even joined our team yet, right?"

"Right." Juvia agreed with a nod and a smile, meaning it. Of course, they wanted kids, but the idea of having Gray all to herself for a few years definitely had its merits. She squeezed his hand in return, happy the question hadn't freaked him out too badly. She could handle his single sigh of relief. "A few years sounds good to Juvia too."

They continued their night discussing more wedding details, Levy's condition, Cana's late night trips with Bacchus that were "not dates" and anything else that came up until Gray finally scooped Juvia up like a princess and carried her to bed where the Water Wizard stayed up way too late again.

* * *

"Juvia, hurry up or we'll leave you behind!" Gajeel called from the top of the hill they were climbing, Lily by his side.

"Then go! Juvia will meet you at the guild later!" The Water Wizard yelled back, not wanting to take any more of his teasing.

Sensing her bad mood, Gajeel exchanged a look with Lily and then backed off. "Yeah, right. If I left you here and Gray found out, I'd never hear the end of it!" Which was probably a true statement.

Her friend's words made the bluenette laugh, and she nodded in agreement. "Probably… But seriously, can we stop for a few minutes? Juvia will be fine in ten minutes. Please?"

The trio were currently hiking through the mountains about a day from Magnolia. They'd worked all night and finished the job that morning just as the sun was rising. All three of them were tired and needed rest but Gajeel didn't want to wait. They'd already been gone for four days. The Dragon Slayer was worried about his wife and their unborn babies, so he just wanted to get home. That's why Juvia had given in even though she felt like she might collapse at any moment. Now she was having trouble keeping up.

"Gajeel, we should stop," Lily agreed, eyeing the Water Wizard carefully. She usually had boundless energy. This was the first time he'd ever seen her dragging so badly without being injured. He had a theory, but he wasn't about to say it out loud.

The hopeful yet devious look in Gajeel's eyes told the Exceed that he was thinking the same thing, but Lily hoped he'd keep his mouth shut. It wasn't their business. However, they also couldn't let the woman collapse in the mountains either. If that happened, the Ice Devil Slayer might _really_ try to kill them.

A short while later, the trio found a tree to rest under and within two minutes, Juvia was curled up in the grass sound asleep. "Are you going to ask her?" Lily asked the Dragon Slayer as he watched her sleep.

"Hell no!" Gajeel nearly shouted and then quickly lowered his voice to keep from waking Juvia. "I'm taking her to Levy. She can figure it out."

The men let Juvia sleep for thirty minutes, but when it was clear that she wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, Gajeel put her on his back and carried her towards Magnolia. The woman didn't even notice for nearly four hours.

* * *

The next morning the trio returned to Magnolia and, since Gray wasn't home, Gajeel and Lily convinced Juvia to come visit Levy. She'd tried to refuse, saying she wanted to sleep, but they made up a half lie about Levy feeling lonely lately and guilted the Water Mage into coming.

"Are you okay?!" Levy asked horrified the moment she laid eyes on her husband's best friend.

"Juvia is fine. She just needs a nap," the taller girl said with a forced smile. Truthfully, Juvia wasn't even sure if she could get home without collapsing at this point. That's how tired she felt.

"Come here!" Levy demanded immediately, patting the empty side of the bed beside her. The pregnant woman had been on modified bed rest for a few weeks now and even that made her sleepy, so she understood.

Levy met he husbands' eyes, and she was 99% percent sure that she understood why he'd brought her over. When Juvia sat down beside her, Levy made the Water Wizard lay down beside her. It was like a sleepover. Soon after, the men left the room and as soon as they closed the door, the Solid Script Wizard pounced.

"Does Gray know?!"

"Does Gray-sama know what?" Juvia asked with a yawn, confused and already having trouble keeping her eyes open.

That took Levy aback for a minute. "Wait… do you even know?!"

Juvia opened one eye, not understanding. "Know what?!"

Levy's sigh was a mix of amusement and disbelief. Realizing she needed a different tactic, the petite woman tried again. "Juvia, when was your last period?"

Juvia's eyes had closed again and Levy could tell Juvia was thinking about it. After a minute, her eyes opened again, now surprisingly alert, and began her internal calculations again. "Juvia... has been busy with work... and wedding planning... It's been stressful... And..."

"Juvia..." Levy's voice was patient, knowing she now had the Water Wizards full attention. "How long has it been?"

"But Juvia is never late..." Panic was beginning to set in.

"How long?!" Levy asked again, impatiently, hoping desperately that she was right. If any of her childhood friends should become a parent, it was Gray.

"T-Two months ago."

Levy sucked in a deep breath. That cinched the news in Levy's mind but Juvia was right about one thing. She had been busy, and it made sense that she might not notice a missed period or two when time was flying by.

"Juvia, I think you're pregnant."

Juvia's reaction was instant, dramatic and completely unexpected. In a flash, the bluenette was on her feet looking horror stricken. "No! Juvia can't be pregnant!"

Levy could see the Water Mages hands were shaking and for a second, she thought Juvia might have a full-blown panic attack. She couldn't for the life of her understand why Juvia wasn't jumping for joy. This was Juvia, of all people! She should be the person _most_ excited to get pregnant. She shouldn't look like the weight of the world had just fallen on her shoulders.

"Wait! Juvia, calm down! I-"

"I'm sorry! Juvia h-has to go."

When Juvia ran from Gajeel and Levy's home, ignoring the calls from her three friends, the Water Wizard was a wreck. Juvia couldn't be pregnant. She and Gray had agreed to wait a few years. She remembered Gray's sigh of relief when she'd assured him that she wasn't pregnant and that he had nothing to worry about but if her math was correct, she'd been lying. How could she go and ask him to change the plan now?

Juvia went straight home, crawled into bed and stayed there for hours obsessing. She couldn't sleep regardless of how tired she felt. She hadn't even taken a test but somehow, she knew Levy was right. Aside from the ridiculous exhaustion, she'd had a few other symptoms like food cravings and stomach issues, but she'd chalked those up to stress. How had she been so blind?!

* * *

At some point, Juvia must have fallen asleep because she woke up to a heavy banging on her front door. Gajeel must have been knocking for a while because he sounded pissed when he yelled. "Water Woman! Open this damn door or I swear I'll break it down!"

"Wait!" Juvia screaming, jumping out of bed, absolutely certain the Dragon Slayer meant it. "Juvia's coming!"

When she finally got the door open, Gajeel stood in the doorway looking his most menacing which made Juvia glad that she was immune to it. "Are you gonna let me in?"

Still upset, she considered sending him away but changed her mind when he glowered at her again. "Come in."

She sat on a chair and let Gajeel take the couch. Neither said a word, they just stared at each other. Nearly five minutes passed... nothing. Finally, Gajeel reached into his pocket, pulled out a box and threw it into her lap. "Pee. Then we'll talk."

He'd brought her a pregnancy test. For a moment Juvia tried to picture Gajeel in the store trying to buy a test and the mental image made her smirk but she was still scared. She wasn't ready to face the truth. Juvia opened her mouth to say that, but he held up his hand to stop her before she started.

"Test first. Talk second."

Juvia was only in the bathroom for four minutes and when she immersed, she was white as a sheet.

"Well?" Gajeel already knew the answer, but he was going to make her say it.

"Juvia... is pregnant." The blue-haired woman got the words out a second before the tears began to flow down her cheeks. Before long she was sobbing so hard that Gajeel didn't know what to do. Much like Levy, the Dragon Slayer couldn't fathom why she was so unhappy.

Unsure how else to help, Gajeel gave her a hug just to keep her upright. It took a while, but he was finally able to sit her on the couch and get her to stop crying. Now she just looked devastated. "So, are you going to tell me why you're so upset?"

"Okay."

So, Juvia told Gajeel all about the conversation with Gray two weeks prior. She confided about Gray wanting to wait a few years for kids and how she'd agreed. She told him about Gray's sigh of relief and how she felt like she'd betrayed his trust. She didn't know how she could tell Gray now and she didn't know how he'd react. She said it all to Gajeel, baring her soul and when she was finished, her best friend stared at her like she was the dumbest person in all of Earthland.

His next words were said completely deadpan. "Water Woman... You are an idiot."

* * *

**~~ Two Weeks Until Gray and Juvia's Wedding ~~**


	10. Chapter 10

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 10

* * *

"Water Woman… you are an idiot."

Juvia blinked at Gajeel once... twice... a third time. Her tears stopped and her jaw dropped. "… What?"

Gajeel let out his breath in a huff and dropped his face into his hands, rubbing his temples unnecessarily hard. It took every bit of self-control he had to not tell Juvia exactly what he was thinking. This was the most asinine thing he'd ever heard. How this ridiculous woman could jump to such an irrational conclusion was beyond him, but this _was_ Juvia, so he'd learned to expect the unexpected.

When the Dragon Slayer didn't respond, the blue-haired woman asked again, her irritation levels rising. "Gajeel-kun... What do you mean?"

With another sigh, he rubbed his eyes roughly and finally looked back up at her bloodshot eyes. Diplomacy wasn't his strong point, but he'd try for his best friend. "Let me get this straight... You think Gray will be unhappy because you agreed to wait, and he sighed…" His attempt to keep his frustration in check was only partly successful.

"Gajeel-kunnnnnnnn… Gray-sama sighed in relief!" She wailed, panic about to hit her again which the Dragon Slayer instantly cut off.

"OF COURSE HE DID!"

"Huh?!" Juvia's big eyes looked shocked, but she calmed back down in the face of Gajeel's outburst.

"Juvia... Do you honestly think me and Levy were planning to have kids right now?"

"N-No," she admitted, sheepishly.

"Exactly." By now, he was talking to her like she was a child but at least she was still listening. "If we'd had a scare, and it turned out Levy was wrong, I would have sighed in relief too!"

"Really?!" Despite her concerns, Gajeel's words were giving her hope.

"Yes, really! Does that make me any less happy about it now?" he pressed.

"No."

"Then why would Gray be any different?" He leveled Juvia a knowing smirk and Gajeel knew he had her. Gray was a much more family-oriented person than him. If the Dragon Slayer could be happy with surprise parenthood, so could the Ice Devil Slayer.

"... But..." Juvia began slowing, clearly wanting to argue further but not having any more fodder.

"Look... I swear on Gray's life that he'll be happy when you tell him. Gihihihi." He promised, laughing at his own joke.

His laugh made Juvia smirk and Gajeel could see that she was coming around when she asked, "What does that even mean?"

"It means, if Gray isn't happy, I'll kill him. Deal?"

Despite herself, Juvia laughed in earnest. Gajeel might not be easy for most people to understand but he really was the most loyal friend you could ask for. "Okay, Gajeel-kun. Deal."

"So... what are you going to do now?"

"... Tell Gray-sama?" The bluenette phrased it like a question, not 100% sure what he was getting at.

Nodding his approval, Gajeel added, "And what are you going to do after that?"

The Dragon Slayer clearly wanted a specific answer, but Juvia was completely blank. When she didn't respond, he gave her the correct answer. "You will come over tomorrow and apologize to Levy. She was crying, thinking she did something wrong. It took an hour to calm her down!"

That made the Water Wizard feel terrible. She had panicked and run away but she never meant to hurt Levy's feelings. "Juvia's sorry! Yes! Juvia promises to apologize tomorrow."

"Good!" Gajeel was satisfied with the turn of events, but then a sudden realization hit him, and he dropped his head into his hands with a groan.

"What's wrong?!" Juvia blurted out, concerned by his sudden mood change.

When he looked back up, Gajeel was the one looking horror-stricken. "I just realized that you and Levy pregnant at the same time might be the death of me. My hair will turn gray before these kids are even born!"

That thought made Juvia laugh and somehow it was the thing that finally made her believe that everything would be okay. "Actually, this is all Gajeel-kun's fault. He's the one that said he needed playmates for his kids, right?"

"Not even funny, woman!" he growled but a minute later, they were both laughing.

* * *

That night, Gray got home from work around 9pm. He was hungry, tired and just wanted to sleep but the Water Wizard clearly had other plans. Dinner was on the table as usual, but it wasn't the normal fare. Tonight, the table was full of several dishes, far too much for just two people.

Juvia was also dressed up which made no sense because she looked at least as tired as he felt. She'd also just returned from a job that morning and normally she was casual at home but tonight she was wearing a short dress, had makeup on and she'd brushed her hair out rather than pulling it up into a ponytail. She looked great and told her as much, but it still put him on edge.

Another oddity was how restless she seemed. Normally the blue-haired woman was happy to sit with him and chat about nothing but today she couldn't sit still. Every time he tried to make conversation, she was distracted and ended up asking him to repeat himself. Within an hour, it was grating on Gray, but he wasn't sure how to breech the topic. It was probably something stupid about the wedding that had her worked up, so he didn't want to make a mountain out of a molehill.

After dinner, Gray helped put away the ridiculous amount of leftovers while Juvia did the dishes. Even then she was distracted. At one point, he walked up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist, but he startled her, and she screamed, dropping the soapy plate in her hands to the floor, breaking it into a dozen pieces. Gray jumped back in shock, not sure why she was so jumpy but when she burst into tears a moment later, the Ice Devil Slayer knew something was actually wrong.

"Hey..." he said gently. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yes." Juvia choked out between irrational sobs, leaving Gray even more confused.

This was no big deal. Normally a broken plate was something they'd laugh over but the Water Mage was so unlike herself that it made Gray uncomfortable. "What's wrong?"

For some unknown reason, those two words made her entire body tense, and she looked over at him like she'd seen a ghost. Juvia was already a pale person but when their eyes met, all color drained from her face. She wasn't good at keeping secrets, but it was now obvious she was hiding something.

Reaching out, Gray grabbed her hand and dragged her to the bedroom without another word. He sat her down on the edge of the bed and stood in front of her. Juvia's nervous energy had worn off on him and now Gray was the one who couldn't sit down. "Juvia, what's going on?"

"Ummm..." She could see that her fiancé was on edge. Juvia thought she'd been hiding her anxiety better than this but clearly not. Now she was cornered, Gray was waiting for answers and she wasn't sure how to proceed.

Juvia's reluctance to answer just made things worse. Gray had no idea what was going on and he was about to lose his patience. He opened his mouth to say something he probably shouldn't when she finally spoke.

"Gray-sama... Juvia is pregnant." She didn't look up at him when she spoke. Instead, Juvia's eyes focused directly on her hands balled up into fists in her lap.

Gray's mouth remained slack, but no sound came out. He understood exactly what she'd said but his brain malfunctioned. About 100 different emotions shot through him at once and he knew he needed to say something, but he couldn't move.

"Juvia is s-sorry." Those words snapped him back. She was crying... but why was she crying? Gray might not know how to react, but unhappiness was the furthest emotion from his mind.

Not sure what else to do, Gray crouched down in front of her and covered her fists with his hands, looking up into her down-turned face. "Why are you sorry?" His voice was thick with emotion.

Their eyes met, and he was relieved when she smirked just a bit. That was his first clue that she was simply overreacting. "Juvia p-promised to wait a f-few years..."

Good Lord... _that _was Juvia's malfunction? Their arbitrary plan to wait a few years? Guilt hit him like a ton of bricks. Sure, they'd said they would wait but who cared?! It probably took Gray too long to pull himself together but once he did, he let go of her fists to cup her face in his hands. "You have nothing to apologize for."

"But Juvia..."

"Didn't do this on her own," he finished her sentence with his own words, but he didn't want to get too hopeful yet. "…Are you sure?"

Juvia nodded slowly and reached into her pocket to pull out what was obviously a pregnancy test. The word "pregnant" was written in bold letters across the display. That made it all hit home and his elation was overwhelming. Dropping his forehead to her knees, he asked his last question. "How long?"

"J-Juvia thinks maybe... two months... but she isn't sure." Her voice was trembling, but he just needed a few more deep breaths to compose himself.

When he looked up at her again, Gray smiled at her despite the tears that blurred his vision. "Don't ever say you're sorry again."

"But-"

Gray cut her off with a kiss. In one fluid movement, he came off the floor, pressed his lips to hers, pushing her backwards on the bed and covering her body with his. Gray's kisses were hungry and full of emotion. He could taste both of their tears on her lips, but it didn't matter. With Juvia's arms wrapped around his back, they held each other tight, embracing the moment together.

When he finally pulled back and looked down at his beautiful fiancée below him, Gray said the words she most needed to hear. "Thank you, Juvia."

"Gray-sama isn't angry?"

"Not at all, ridiculous woman," he chuckled, kissing her nose and then her lips again. "I don't think I've ever been so happy."

That made Juvia cry all over again, making Gray laugh. "You're supposed to be happy."

"Juvia is so relieved Gray-sama is happy," she said through her tears, now able to laugh with him. "…Juvia would've been sad if Gajeel had to kill Gray-sama."

"Wait... What?!"

It took the next 20 minutes for Juvia to tell Gray about her day and when it was all over; he promised to go with her to apologize to Levy and thank Gajeel.

That visit would be the start of a whole new chapter in their lives.

**~~ 2 Weeks Until Gray & Juvia's Wedding ~~**


	11. Chapter 11

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 11

* * *

Gray woke up later than usual the next morning. The Ice Make Wizard knew he was tired yesterday and he and Juvia had probably stayed up too late talking, but it still surprised him that it was after 10am when he finally got out of bed. Unsurprisingly, Juvia was still sound asleep. Gray could tell that she was downplaying how she'd been feeling lately because Juvia kept assuring him that all of her symptoms were "fine", "nothing" and "not a big deal."

That was part of the reason he was going with her to see Levy and Gajeel. Yes, he wanted to check in on Levy and he wanted to thank them both for helping Juvia, but he also wanted to know how Juvia had _really_ been doing. Knowing that Gajeel had a pregnant wife, Gray was pretty sure the Dragon Slayer would prioritize Juvia's health and wellbeing over keeping a secret for his best friend... at least, he'd better.

Gray got out of bed, cleaned up the broken plate still lying on the kitchen floor, heated one of the random leftovers for breakfast, took a shower and got dressed all before the Water Wizard woke up. It was nearly noon when Juvia finally opened her eyes. That was the most she'd slept in a long time. Lately her sleep had been sporadic despite her fatigue, yet all that sleep had a downside. Her body was sore and achy.

With a groan, Juvia rolled out of bed and put her feet on the floor. Coming to terms with her pregnancy yesterday had allowed so many things make sense. For example, she'd been nauseous for the last couple of weeks but no vomiting, so she'd ignored it. Also, her boobs were sore... really sore. Sometimes just walking around was painful, but that was something that randomly happened during her period, so she just chalked that up to PMS. She'd also had to pee more often. To the point where she thought Gajeel might forbade her from drinking fluids while they were travelling. Thankfully, he hadn't but it was touch and go for a while.

It was amazing how a new day and a long conversation with Gray could make everything better. She now felt prepared to tackle the new adventure of parenthood. That thought right there might have been when it _really _hit her. Juvia and Gray were having a baby together. For all that yesterday had been tiring, stressful and scary, today it felt exciting! This baby, created by their love, was a little miracle and it was amazing!

When Gray walked into the room, Juvia was awake, sitting on the edge of the bed with a hand on her abdomen and tears in her eyes. For a second, he was concerned. He'd wasn't sure if Juvia was still worried or if she was happy and it wasn't until she looked up at Gray and flashed him her best smile, that he realized it was the latter.

Juvia flew off the bed and leapt straight into his arms, hugging his neck tightly. "Good morning, Gray-sama!"

With a chuckle, Gray returned her hug, relieved that their normalcy was already returning.

* * *

That afternoon Gray and Juvia made their promised visit to the Redfox home. They spent several hours with the couple apologizing, thanking them and gathering information. However, the most important thing they accomplished was getting Gajeel, Levy and Lily to swear to secrecy. The night before, Gray and Juvia decided to keep the pregnancy a secret until after the wedding. That meant no one outside of that inner circle could know. Thankfully, they understood and agreed. By this point, Levy was 7 months pregnant, so she wasn't out to gossip much anyway and Gajeel only gossiped with Levy, Lily and Juvia anyway so they were safe.

* * *

With only two weeks until the wedding, both Gray and Juvia cancelled their upcoming jobs claiming a need to focus on the wedding. However, the truth was that Juvia wasn't feeling great and Gray was worried and overprotective. Juvia had only been sick a handful of times but, every time, Gray was there to hold her hair or rub her back or bring her some water and crackers, but since neither of them knew anything about pregnancy and what was and wasn't normal, it kept them on their toes. Thankfully, they were able to find a good doctor who could put their minds at ease.

Juvia also spent a good deal of time with Levy, asking questions and comparing notes. Both women were thrilled about the prospect of raising their children together. They also discussed serious things like what boundaries they should set for children in the guildhall. When Levy and Gray were young, all the kids were orphans with nowhere else to go and the guild was home, so it just made sense that the kids hung out in the bar.

Al and Bisca had somewhat ended that tradition with Asuka. Although the little girl was in the hall sometimes, it was sparingly, and Levy often wondered if they should follow suit. Little did they know that in a few short years, the guildhall would be more kid-friendly than they could ever imagine.

* * *

Before they knew it, it was the night before the wedding. Cana and Mira had made it clear that Gray was not to see Juvia before the ceremony which meant they had to sleep in different places. Gray ended up inviting Leon, Natsu and Gajeel to their house while Juvia took Meredy, Lucy and Wendy to Levy's place. The reason for going to Levy's was two-fold. Juvia could keep an eye on the Solid Script Wizard while she kept an eye on the bride-to-be.

The night was a lot of fun. The girls sat around chatting and gossiping but before long, Juvia was fading. At one point, the bride's eyes met the Wendy's and Juvia realized the younger girl her secret. It was obvious by her expression, but the Dragon Slayer didn't say anything out loud.

Fatigue remained Juvia's #1 symptom even now and try as she might, the bluenette had trouble keeping her eyes open which surprised Meredy and Lucy. Both of her friends had assumed she'd be too keyed up to sleep but Levy and Wendy smoothed things over. It was only 11pm when the Water Wizard admitted to feeling nauseous, claiming nerves, and headed to bed with Wendy on her heels to make sure she wasn't going to be sick.

The Water Wizard all but collapsed onto the bed. Gray had spoiled her too much lately, letting her sleep whenever she needed it and now, she was a wreck.

"How far along are you?" Wendy whispered even though it would have been impossible for someone to overhear thanks to the laughter in the next room.

"10 and a half weeks," Juvia answered without hesitation, giving Wendy a big sleepy smile from her fluffy pillow. It was pointless to even deny it when she was certain Wendy could sense the little life inside her.

The Sky Dragon Slayer leaned down and hugged Juvia's shoulders tightly. "Congratulations!" she said in an enthusiastic half whisper with a slight blush on her cheeks. It made Juvia happy that Wendy's adorable innocence was still firmly in place. "Is that the real reason you and Gray took some time off?"

"Yes," she admitted. There was something about Wendy that just put Juvia at ease so telling her the truth was very easy. Maybe it was because she literally owed her life to Wendy and Carla. Without them, she wouldn't be able to have all this happiness, so keeping anything from her seemed unfair.

Wendy giggled. "Actually, everyone was worried about you and Gray. We heard that you were going to help with wedding plans but then we hardly saw you the entire time. ... I guess Natsu was right. He was convinced you are pregnant, and Lucy got mad and told him to stop spreading rumors. I don't think he'll ever let her forget that he was right."

That made both women laugh but within minutes, Juvia Lockser was asleep and the next day she would become Juvia Fullbuster.

The next morning, Juvia was put through the ringer. Truthfully, she wasn't feeling 100%. If this was any other time, she probably would have stayed in bed, but it was her wedding day and she was determined to enjoy it. Juvia was thrilled to marry Gray, of course, but now that they had a baby coming and already had their house together, this step felt more like a formality than anything else. The Water Mage wished she could talk to Gray and see if he felt that same way.

The bride-to-be felt achy and bloated. Almost overnight her boobs felt more full than usual. Although she wasn't showing, in the last few days, her clothes had been a little tighter. The problem was that Mira was the holder of the dress so Juvia hadn't had the time to try it on over the last 10 days. She ended up spending the entire morning stressed that the dress wouldn't fit right.

Nearly every woman in the guild stopped by the Redfox home that morning to say hello, bring food or offer some kind of gift or service. Between Juvia's crazy mood swings and all the emotions she felt about finally marrying Gray, Juvia cried so many times that her makeup was reapplied four times. The last time, Levy had sat in the corner snickering to herself and promising Juvia, "I totally understand!" over and over, almost causing the Water Wizard to lose her cool. Juvia was glad Gray wasn't there because she felt like she was going crazy.

Finally, around noon, her hair and makeup were done. Levy had forced a nauseous, moody Juvia to eat a little something and then it was time to get dressed. Juvia had confessed her fitting concerns to Levy a few days before the ceremony so somehow the pregnant woman had convinced their friends to let her be the only one in the room when Juvia changed. This way the finished product could surprise them.

The Water Wizard was so nervous pulling on the dress that she wanted to cry all over again, but she held it together. She didn't realize at the time, but Levy was just as anxious. The dress pulled on fine which was the first battle. But the second battle, zipping up the dress, and that was a little more problematic.

The dress zipped up okay but no longer fit like a glove. The waistline felt a little too tight, but it was probably only be noticeable if you knew what you were looking for. She was certain Gray, Wendy and Gajeel would notice. However, the much larger problems were far more obvious. It was fair to say that her cups runneth over.

"Levy-channnn..." Juvia was looking at herself in the mirror about to cry all over again when Levy jumped in.

"Wait! I have an idea!" Forcing a bright smile to the Water Wizard, Levy jumped into action. As quickly as possible, Levy used her magic for supplies and some sewing skill to let the top out just enough so that the neckline of her dress didn't look obscene. Thankfully, the alterations weren't obvious either. Her breasts still looked more impressive in the dress now but at least she wouldn't spill out.

Levy seemed satisfied with her handiwork, but she still looked a little concerned. "Juvia... you and Gray plan to tell everyone soon, right?"

"... Yes." Juvia answered, watching Levy in the mirror's reflection. She wanted to pretend like she didn't know why her friend was asking but it was obvious.

"That's probably a good idea..."


	12. Chapter 12

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 12

* * *

Much to Juvia's relief, no one acknowledged the slightly ill-fitting dress as they fixed her veil clip in her hair, got the garter into place and made all the last-minute finishing touches that brought everything together. When her friends were finished working their magic, Juvia was stood in front of the full-length mirror to see the final product. Juvia was a bride.

Although her dress was a little on the tighter side, it wasn't distractingly so. Her hair was gathered away from her face into a half updo with tendrils hanging down to frame her face which gave her a good view of the blue drop earrings and the matching necklace that had been Juvia's "something blue" gift from Wendy. Despite the number of reapplications, her makeup looked perfect. Somehow Meredy had made Juvia's already large eyes seem even bigger. When she looked at everything together, Juvia felt like the most beautiful woman in the world.

The time between getting dressed, and the ceremony seemed to pass in the blink of an eye and the closer they got to the wedding, the more Juvia's priorities settled into place. After today, she and Gray would be legally bound, spiritually bound and the baby in her belly made them physically bound as well. Juvia knew that if she could only see Gray's face, everything would fall into place. She could appreciate that most of her erratic emotions were made worse by the pregnancy hormones but once she was at Gray's side, she knew it'd all be okay.

When the music began and her friends left the room one by one to walk down the aisle, the Water Mage felt her excitement growing. When it was just Meredy and Juvia, the pink-haired woman hugged the bluenette tightly, handed the bride her bouquet and then headed through the door leaving Juvia alone with her thoughts. As she waited for her cue, Juvia wished that Gajeel was there to give her away and panic welled up in her chest. The cathedral was enormous, and it would be a long walk to Gray's side. She just hoped she wouldn't trip.

When the music swelled, that was the brides' cue to walk through those big double doors. When she did, Juvia hesitated for just a moment. Cana and Mira had been right. The cathedral was full of people. It seemed like every citizen of Magnolia along with every wizard in Fiore were there to celebrate with them. Obviously, that couldn't be completely true, but it had to be close.

The decorations exceeded all Juvia's dreams. Every aisle of pews was lined with flowers that matched her own blue and white bouquet. The sun was shining in through the stained-glass windows, bathing the room in a gorgeous cascade of colors. Looking down to the other end of that long aisle, she saw her friends, Meredy, Lucy and Wendy all beaming at her with happy tears in their eyes. On the other side, she saw Gajeel wink at her, Lyon blush furiously and Natsu flash her that huge smile he was known for.

Finally, her eyes landed on the most important person of the day. He was her most important person, the love of her life, the father of her child and the person who'd brightened her whole that very first day. Gray was wearing a tux and when standing beside the other men, he still stood out easily. As she looked at him from across the room, she thanked the gods for giving Gray to her.

The groom was looking at her with wide eyes and even from all the way across the room she could tell that he was on the verge of tears. His expression, the love shining in his eyes, the true smile on his face was what she'd needed all day, and it changed her entire mindset like the flip of a switch.

All the tired, moody emotional moments that Juvia had experiences that morning, evaporated. Who cared if her dress didn't fit just right anymore? She would have walked down that aisle naked to stand at Gray's side. Literally nothing else in the world mattered except for the child in her belly and the man across the room gazing at her like she was the answer to all of his prayers.

When she started down the aisle, Juvia tried to ignore the fact that everyone was watching her. She also did her best to ignore the whispering she could hear coming from all around her. "Maybe Natsu was right." "Is Juvia pregnant?" "Wow, her boobs look great! Were they always that big?" Instead of all that, she focused on Gray the entire time. It all felt like a wonderful dream except she knew it was 100% real.

As Juvia finally made it to Gray's side, her took her by the hand and squeezed it tightly. She didn't even realize that she was crying until he wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. From there he ran a gentle finger down her cheek before looking her up and down with a smile. "You look perfect."

When they turned to face the preacher, Natsu gasped and spoke loud enough for every person in the cathedral to hear. "I knew I was right!" Within a second, Natsu was simultaneously frozen, encased in water, hit with an iron bar and silenced via solid script but the damaged was already done because everyone in the room because talking except for the bride and groom who'd turned crimson.

By the time the preacher restored order, Natsu had burned off the attacks and although he'd learned his lesson about keeping quiet, he remained smug. Yet even that outburst made the wedding even more perfect. It was a perfect example of how their day-to-day lives were lived. Although Juvia had said she didn't mind eloping, now that she was here and able to marry Gray Fullbuster before all her friends, she wouldn't have wanted it any different.

The ceremony wasn't extremely long. The preacher talked about love, family and commitment. He also spoke about loyalty and the importance of self-sacrifice which made the couple smirk. Few people knew how far they were truly willing to go for the person they loved but Gray and Juvia already knew that answer. Each was willing to give up everything is it meant saving the other.

When it was time for the vows, Juvia's voice cracked the entire time, tears streaming down her face as she promised to love, honor and obey her husband. (It had been her choice to keep that last part in even though Gray had spent the better part of a week trying to convince the Water Wizard to use cherish instead.) Juvia said the words earnestly, desperately wanting Gray to know exactly how much those words meant to her. Judging from the loving gleam in his eyes and unshed tears, Juvia assumed she'd succeeded.

"I now pronounce you man and wife," the preacher said with a wide smile before turning to Gray with a smirk. "You may kiss your bride."

Gray turned to Juvia with a look on his face that made her heart skip a beat. In her mind, she was the one who'd wanted to get married and sometimes, as irrational as it might be, Juvia felt like she had forced herself on Gray. Yet, right now it was crystal clear that the Ice Make Wizard was exactly where he wanted to be. He beamed down on her with such an expression of love that it made her blush and caused her heart to race. When Gray reached out and cupped her face in his hands, he held her so gently that it was almost reverent.

His eyes looked into hers and when he smiled, her answering smile was instantaneous. When he spoke, it was quiet enough that only she and the seven Dragon Slayers in the room could hear his words. "I love you, Juvia Fullbuster. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for marrying me and thank you for our family."

Then he kissed her long and deep in front of all of their friends as if he didn't have a care in the world because to Gray and Juvia, they were the only two people in the room.

They weren't able to see Wendy cry or Natsu beaming proudly at the man who was practically his brother. They also didn't notice the five other Dragon Slayers blush deeply after hearing Gray's private words to his new wife. They missed Meredy and Lucy putting their heads together to compare notes on how much they knew, and they didn't pay any attention when the rest of the audience burst into applause.

When Gray and Juvia's first kiss as a married couple ended, the preacher turned the couple to face the audience and in a loud, clear voice announced, "May I present Gray and Juvia Fullbuster!"

That's what broke the Water Wizard and when here tears began to flow, there was a fair amount of good nature laughter in the crowd mixed in with the applause. It was the moment she'd dreamed about since the day they'd fought the battle at Phantom Lord but now that the moment was finally here; it was overwhelming... and those overactive pregnancy hormones didn't help either.

After a moment, when it became clear that Juvia was crying too hard to walk back down the aisle, Gray sighed with a laugh because even this wasn't totally unexpected. In one quick motion, he scooped up his new bride and carried her back out of the cathedral to the great amusement of everyone else in the room.

* * *

Juvia had planned to wear her ballgown at the reception but it was just uncomfortable enough that it was making her fidget. It was Evergreen, the curviest woman in the guild, who came to her rescue. Just before the reception, the taller woman pulled Juvia aside and handed her an appropriate white dress that fit a lot better. If nothing else, at least she wouldn't have to worry about her breasts popping out of this one.

The bride had to leave Gray's side for what should have been ten minutes to get changed and fix her hair but as she pulled the slip dress over her head and settled it into place; the room filled with women. They all wanted dates, answers, times and symptoms. They also asked a slew of other questions. "How far along are you?" "Why didn't you tell us?" "How did you find out?" "How did Gray take it?" "How are you feeling?" "We're sorry we didn't notice!" It was a wall of questions for over 30 minutes until the door to the changing room opened again and Gray stood in the doorway.

"Can I have my wife back?" he asked with a self-satisfied grin. Juvia could tell Gray liked saying the words almost as much as she liked hearing them.

"Coming, Gray-sama!" she called, jumping to her feet and practically prancing to his side.

The white slip dress was simple, but it had lace along the neckline and the bottom of the skirt that went to mid-thigh. Lucy had taken a few flowers from the church and put them into Juvia's hair creating a new look for the second half of the day. Her makeup had been touched up and any signs of tears were gone. Her happiness made her radiant.

"You look beautiful," he said, kissing her lips softly. He didn't blush until all the girls in the room gave a collective "ahhhhh!"

After that, Gray spirited her back to the guildhall where the rest of their friends were waiting. Natsu was the first person who greeted her and Juvia was only mildly surprised when he gave her a quick but hard hug. "Congratulations twice," the Dragon Slayer said with a grin.

"Thank you!"

That was pretty much how the rest of the evening went. Gray and Juvia received congratulations on her marriage and the pregnancy and although people were surprised by the news, everyone seemed truly happy for them. Per Mira and Cana's demands, they had a first dance, and they fed each other cake (nicely because God forbid Juvia puke at the reception). There were speeches from friends and at the very end, Gray and Juvia had speeches for each other.

Juvia went first and when she stood up before their friends, she managed to keep her emotions in check. "Gray-sama. Juvia has loved you forever, which you know. When she met Gray-sama, Juvia never dreamed of all the adventures we'd experience together. Juvia might have loved you then, but it's nothing compared to the love she feels for you now. Thank you for loving me. Juvia can't wait for all the new adventures waiting for us in the future."

When she was done, Gray gave her a quick kiss, whispered "Thank you" and then it was his turn.

"Juvia, When I met you during the battle with Phantom Lord, I never dreamed this day would come. But after we met, I realized my thoughts always went back to you. I'd wonder where you were and if you were safe. I used to tell myself that I treated you like I treated all of my friends but even I knew that was a lie. Somehow fairly quickly, you became someone special to me and even if your love was sometimes heavy-handed or overwhelming, I never wanted it to go away. You've been by my side, supporting me and helping me for a long time. Now I want to support you too and I want us to continue doing it for the rest of our lives. Thank you for marrying me. I truly love you."

When Gray was done, there wasn't a dry eye in Fairy Tail and that was the perfect end to their perfect day.


	13. Chapter 13

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 13

* * *

The original honeymoon plan had been a vacation, but that plan had gone out the window when the pregnancy news dropped. Gray and Juvia decided that it was smarter to use their money building a nursery than going on a trip. Once the baby was born, they'd all go somewhere together.

About a week after the wedding, the Ice Make Wizard joined back up with Team Natsu and spent several nights a week away on jobs. Meanwhile, Juvia had promised both Gray and Gajeel that she would stay home for now. The jobs they took were considered too dangerous for a pregnant woman and neither of them were comfortable having her go out on jobs without one of them. Sometimes it made the Water Wizard feel like she had two mothers, but she knew that they just worried about her, so she acquiesced.

Time passed quickly after that. Juvia split her time between working on the nursery and spending time with Levy. At 16 weeks, Juvia had a well-defined baby bump. She'd had to trade in her tailored clothes for flowy dresses and stretchy fabrics but the clothes made her feel more feminine, so it seemed like a good trade.

She was home one afternoon folding laundry and daydreaming about what life would be like when the baby was born when she felt it.

Tap.

Her whole body froze in place. What was that?

Tap. Tap.

Juvia dropped the shirt in her hand and jumped to her feet. She felt him. (In her mind, their baby was always a boy.) That had to be him. Her hands went straight to her abdomen. Of course, she couldn't feel it on the outside, but it was just a natural reaction.

Her heart started racing. This simple nudging felt more magical than any other magic she'd ever experienced. The tears were instant.

The flutters hit randomly over the next few days and every single time it made her heart skip a beat. Other than her growing belly, this was the first tangible proof of the baby growing inside her and it made Juvia's excitement skyrocket.

* * *

When Gray was headed home a few days later, it'd been a week since he'd seen his wife. He had to admit that this last job took too long. Having a pregnant wife at home had changed Gray's priorities enough that he knew he'd need to talk to Natsu. He either needed to break off from Team Natsu until the baby was born and take jobs on his own or they needed to take jobs closer to home.

When he arrived at the front of the house, he could hear music and he let out a sigh of relief. Obviously, he didn't want her sitting home all day, but he was glad he didn't have to go collect her from the guildhall or the Redfox home to have some time together. When he put his hand on the doorknob, he could hear Juvia singing to herself and it made him smile. If she was singing, she was perfectly fine.

"Juvia. I'm home," he called, closing the door behind himself.

He heard Juvia's footsteps from the bedroom as she ran to the front entry with a huge smile on her face. "Gray-sama! Welcome home!" She threw herself into his arms, hugging him tight.

He noticed the difference immediately and, after a quick hug, pulled his wife back to take a good luck at her. Juvia _looked _pregnant. She'd had a bump when he left but somehow, she was noticeably bigger.

The Water Wizard watched Gray's eyes focus on her belly, so she stepped back and pulled her dress tightly against her bump the way all pregnant woman did to show off their size. "Juvia popped this week!"

"I can see that." The Ice Devil Slayer couldn't keep the grin off his face. He'd never realized how quickly everything changed during a pregnancy and it never ceased to amaze him. "You look beautiful."

Juvia beamed at the compliment as he leaned in to give her a kiss. Then Gray bent down further and kissed her belly too. The made Juvia giggle and blush happily. "Juvia missed Gray-sama!"

"I missed you too."

He expected Juvia to tell him about everything she'd been up to in the last week or ask him about their job but instead a strange expression crossed her face and her hand went straight to her belly. He panicked. "What's wrong?!"

Gray was about to ask what he could do to help until she smiled and shook her head. He watched her eyes turn misty, but they radiated pure joy and although he was confused, he relaxed.

"Nothing is wrong. Juvia felt him again!" Her eyes were dancing but Gray just stared at her, uncomprehending.

"Felt him?"

"The baby! Juvia felt the baby kick! Gray-sama won't be able to feel it yet but Juvia can!" The blue-haired woman was gushing, finally able to tell Gray her news. She'd kept it a secret from everyone, even Levy, just so he could be the first to know.

His jaw dropped. It seemed impossible how quickly everything was happening. Gray knew his wife was pregnant, could see her body changing. Hell, two weeks ago, he'd even built a crib, but somehow knowing that Juvia could actually feel their child moving was mind blowing and overwhelming. Gray wanted to hold her, thank her and never let her go. He decided to start with the first one.

Gray reached out and pulled Juvia into his arms. Even though her breasts were fuller, and her stomach was far from flat, she still fit perfectly. When she looked up at him questioningly, he leaned down and kissed her lips gently, lingering there until her body relaxed against his. The Ice Devil Slayer had never, in his entire life, seen a pregnant woman and thought she looked sexy but when he looked at Juvia, pregnant with their child... she was the sexiest woman in the world and he intended to make sure she knew it.

"Gray-sama…," she managed her words halfheartedly between kisses. "Aren't... you tired? ... You don't... have to... force yourself…"

The black-haired man pulled back and scoffed at his wife. "I'm definitely _not_ forcing myself." With a devious grin, he scooped her up into his arms like a princess, laughing at Juvia's shriek of surprise. "…Unless you're not interested."

Juvia's answering giggle was adorable and she blushed brightly. "Juvia is definitely interested."

* * *

After that Team Natsu decided to tone down their jobs and stay closer to home. Three of their members were newlyweds and Wendy was 16 years old, so as a group, they decided that now was a good time to slow down and live their lives. Although it was an adjustment to be home nearly every night, they all enjoyed the break.

Gajeel and Levy's twins were born when Juvia was 19 weeks pregnant, so the Water Wizard spent most days when Gray was working at the Redfox home. She always said she went because Levy needed help and she needed the practice but every time Gray saw her holding one of the babies, he could see it in her eyes. She couldn't wait until their baby was born, and it made him glad they hadn't waited.

One night in Juvia's 22nd week, they were sitting at the kitchen table, talking after dinner as usual.

"And then, when Juvia was burping her, she let out the loudest noise. Juvia didn't even know that was possible! And then Gajeel-kun tried to blame me! He said his "little princess" wouldn't do that!" Juvia tried to look indignant but ended up laughing right along with Gray.

The Water Mage stood up to put away food but stopped in mid-motion. By now, her husband recognized the look on her face. The baby was kicking. Her hand went to her belly, moving around until she found just the right spot and gasped. Her eyes lit up like sparklers. She crossed the distance between them in two steps. Without a word, she picked up his hand, put it right where her fingers had been and pressed firmly.

Gray just waited. They'd tried this before, but each time had ended in disappointment, so he was determined to play it cool. He'd never tell Juvia this, but he was dying to feel the baby kick. Right now, Juvia and the baby had a special bond that he didn't get to be a part of. Once he could feel the movement, he knew he'd feel that connection as well.

Thump.

"Was that?!"

Thump.

Gray was off his chair and kneeling in front of his wife in an instant. The movement he felt was distinct, like someone flicking your hand. "Juvia!"

He looked up at his wife in amazement and saw her looking down at him with tears in her eyes. "That's Gray-sama and Juvia's baby."

Thump.

This time the thump moved slightly so Gray moved his hand accordingly. He was mystified, but it also made everything feel more real. Knowing what was happening was one thing but feeling it was on a whole different level. There were no words to describe it.

Not caring how uncool he might look, Gray kissed Juvia's bump and whispered to her belly. "Hi, Baby. Mom and Dad already love you so much. We can't wait to see you."

Juvia half laughed, half cried when she felt the baby kick again, seemingly in response to Gray's words even though she knew it was impossible. They stayed like that for nearly five minutes until the baby shifted away and they couldn't feel the kicks any longer but the father-to-be was still all smiles.

* * *

When Juvia was entering her 28th week or seventh month of pregnancy, she already felt like the size of a house. Her bump was large, and it made her back ache. However, when she remembered how big Levy was with the twins, she never complained to anyone except Gray and even that was kept to a minimum.

Although they had the option of knowing, Gray and Juvia decided to keep the sex of their baby a secret. It didn't matter, and they felt like it would be extra special to get all of their good news at once. However, Juvia was confident that it was a boy. It just felt right. She was also confident that when Natsu and Lucy got down to it, they'd have a girl.

"Juvia? Are you home?" Just as Juvia was thinking about her, the Celestial Spirit Wizard walked in her front door.

"Lucy! How are you?" The Water Wizard rushed over to the door to welcome her friend. It'd been a couple of weeks since they'd crossed paths and, in Fairy Tail, that seemed like forever. Normally, they saw each other practically every day. "Natsu said you weren't feeling well?"

"Yeah…" The blonde-haired woman answered non-committally. "Actually... that's why I'm here." Lucy was bright red and she wouldn't meet Juvia's eyes.

"Lucy... Are you pregnant?!" She didn't want to get her hopes up, but it was too late. Much like Gajeel had wanted Juvia to have a kid to play with his kids, The Water Wizard wanted Lucy to have a child so they could all grow up together.

A smile spread across her guests face slowly and once she built up some confidence, Lucy met Juvia's eyes. "Yep! We're having a baby!"

Juvia's reaction was instantaneous. She threw her arms around Lucy and squeezed her shoulders. "Congratulations! Juvia is so happy! Juvia is sure our babies will be the best of friends!"

"Thanks! I really hope so!"


	14. Chapter 14 - Smut Warning

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 14

* * *

"Juvia, are you awake?" The Ice Devil Slayer asked from the other side of their bed.

The Water Wizard had been trying to sleep for an hour with no luck despite how rundown she felt. "Yes. Juvia is still awake."

"Good." Her first clue that her husband had less than pure intentions was the sudden cold sensation of ice running along the length of her spine. On this hot summer night, it felt amazing.

"Gray-sama?" She said his name as a question, rolling over enough to peak at him over her shoulder. "What are you doing?"

His eyes met hers with a seductive smile on her face. "What do you want me to be doing?" His voice was equal parts teasing and laced with desire. He wasn't even trying to be coy.

"Hmmmm…" Juvia pretended to consider her options as she rolled all the way over until she and Gray were chest to chest. She put her right hand to her chest, letting her fingers trace his well-defined pecs. "Well... Juvia wants Gray-sama to kiss her."

"I think I can do that." He leaned forward and gave her a quick chaste kiss and then pulled back again, leaving his wife incredibly unfulfilled.

"Juvia thinks Gray-sama should try again," she complained, trying not to smirk.

"Alright. Let me try again." His voice sounded a little more serious this time and when he leaned forward again, his lips lingered on hers, sucking her bottom lip just enough to cause a flutter in her stomach. But, all too soon, he pulled back again. "Better?"

Now the Water Wizard did smile, his gentle teasing adding fuel to the growing warmth in her loins. "Maybe one more try, and we'll get it right."

Gray's sigh was supposed to sound frustrated, but it was obvious that he was suppressing a chuckle. "Alright then... One last try…"

Her husband's last kiss was surprisingly aggressive. His mouth covered hers and at the same time he pushed her onto her back, hovering over her chest to chest. The feel of his body weight on hers made her pulse race and the desire to be possessed by him grew exponentially. His tongue explored her mouth while his hands explored her body.

His fingers trailed from her cheek to along the side of her neck, leaving a trail of cold in their wake. That cold sensation continued moving down over her breast, just brushing her nipple, across her belly and beyond.

Gray's lips abandoned hers and instead, kissed her ear, nibbling on her earlobe at the same time that his hand reached between her legs, discovering exactly how wet she'd become. Next, the Ice Devil Slayer kissed that spot behind her ear that always made Juvia squirm. His wife didn't disappoint.

The blue-haired woman, fidgeted with pleasure under him, spreading her legs to allow him better access without having to be persuaded. Gray trailed his lips down her neck at the same time his fingers trailed down her opening. That was when Gray realized how sensitive she'd become. When his fingers brushed her clitoris, Juvia nearly came off the bed. Her body, which had been interested from the start, was on fire and it made Gray smile with pleasure as he continued his mission.

His kisses moved down her neck, her collarbone and down until he captured her breast with his mouth, sucking enough to make Juvia moan. Her fingers wound into his hair, holding him to her, enjoying his possessiveness. His tongue flicked at her nipple playfully making her body twitch just before his finger entered her.

Without even thinking about it, Juvia's body pressed towards his hand as Gray's dexterous fingers moved, finding the places that made her melt beneath him. By the time he left her breast and continued his kisses over her belly, she was in heaven. It took no convincing to get Juvia to open her legs for him and she lifted her hips automatically, her body already begging for the release that she knew only he could give.

He moved between her legs, first kissing her knee, then the inside of her thigh, then her bikini line. With the next lingering kiss on her pelvic bone, his chin left enough pressure on her most sensitive spot, to make Juvia moan. Gray's answering laugh was thick with desire. Then he found his goal, The Ice Devil Slayer buried his face into his wife, not trying to be gentle. Practice makes perfect and by now he knew what turned his wife on. He knew how to make her gasp or moan or scream or even laugh. That night he hoped to achieve more than one of those reactions.

His mouth covered her clit and sucked, causing Juvia to gasp so loudly that Gray knew he was on the right track. His finger still moved inside her as his mouth played outside. His tongue moved across her length, his warm breath affecting every nerve ending, and quickly, her body began to pulse. Slow at first but then faster, telling Gray that Juvia was close to climax.

As he worked, one of Juvia's hands covered her face to contain all the sensations racing through her body while the other reached down to him. Part of Juvia wanted to bring Gray up to her so they could find their finish together, but he was driving her insane and her need became more important than her romantic notions.

Her body reached its climax thanks to her husband's skillful tongue and long fingers. As her body pulsed forcefully, sending shock waves through her core, she saw stars in her eyes and her moans of pleasure were so loud that she heard him chuckle with self-satisfaction.

* * *

When Juvia woke up, she was really confused. Her body was still pulsing, her skin was sweaty, and her breath was coming in gasps. Pleasure was still shooting through her body and it took true effort to keep her voice quiet. She felt amazing... too amazing. She had an orgasm?... While sleeping?! Her hand went down to her large 34-week belly that hadn't been present in her dream and sighed. While she tried to get herself under control, Juvia had to admit that she still felt embarrassingly good.

Juvia glanced over at her sleeping husband and smiled. He'd been taking great care of all her physical and emotional needs despite her changing body and she'd done her best to do the same. So, with the realistic quality of her dream, even though "Gray" had been her partner, she felt almost guilty.

Levy had warned Juvia about these crazy sex dreams, but it hadn't seemed possible. Now here she was, covered in a sheen of sweat and breathing unsteadily, to prove Levy had told the truth.

"Wow…" she whispered to herself.

The Water Wizard was wide awake, and she didn't really want to Gray to know about the dream. It wasn't that he'd be upset or anything but... well... it was embarrassing. Glancing out her window, Juvia saw the sun had just crested the horizon, so she rolled... yes, rolled out of bed and headed to the shower to cool down.

* * *

At 35 weeks, Juvia felt huge, but she was getting used to it. Their baby was an active one, always moving and kicking which Gray loved. It seemed like his hand was almost always on her belly these days. Father and baby played a little game where Gray would poke a spot on her belly. A moment later, the baby would kick that same spot in response. It was mind-blowing... except they would play this game late at night when Juvia was trying to sleep and that could be annoying.

When Gray and Juvia arrived at the guildhall for dinner, they hadn't been over to visit their friends for almost a week. The last time they'd been there, Levy, the twins, Lucy and Juvia had been sitting in the corner of the hall, chatting far from the action when an everyday bar fight broke out. At some point, a poorly aimed chair had flown across the room and come within ten feet of their circle. Natsu, Gray and Gajeel's attacks reduced the chair to nothing in plenty of time but it pissed off Gray (and the other husbands) so they'd laid low for a few days so Gray could calm down. Today was their grand return.

"Juvia! Gray!" Mirajane called out to them from behind the bar the moment they entered, rushing around to join them. She smiled to Gray but went straight to Juvia and smiled down at her growing bump. "You've dropped!"

Juvia's hands went to her belly with a proud smile. "Yup! We're getting closer and closer. Juvia can't wait!" She admitted, beaming, not caring if it sounded like bragging.

"Me too!" Mira agreed, smiling right back.

After they greeted everyone else, the couple sat down to relax. It was nice to be in their favorite place, surrounded by their family so they could enjoy these last few weeks before becoming parents. Gray and Juvia sat hip to hip on the crowded bench surrounded by Al, Bisca, Jet, Droy, Ever, Laxas and Elfman. Everyone was doing their part to smooth over the last debacle and talking about the soon to arrive child was the easier ice breaker of all when the usual bar fight apology wouldn't do the trick.

"So Gray, do you want a boy or a girl?" Evergreen asked with a smirk, her eyes flitting between Alzack and Elfman. Both men were opinionated on the issue so Ever asked with the teasing implication that Gray needed to pick a side, but the Ice Devil Slayer wasn't going to take the bait.

"Nice try," he grinned. "Honestly, as long as everyone is healthy and safe, I'll be happy."


	15. Chapter 15

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 14

* * *

It was four days before Juvia's due date and she was huge and tired. The weather seemed a thousand times hotter than last year and even if she walked around naked, which she did sometimes, it was still unbearable. She'd also had some random Braxton Hicks contractions over the last few weeks and the pressure in her pelvis was downright uncomfortable. Basically, she was ready to meet their son.

Gray had been home for the last few days, as eager as Juvia to meet their new edition. The Ice Devil Slayer might still be tsundere with friends and sometimes even with his wife in public, but privately he was the most amazing husband, lover and father-to-be a girl could ever ask for.

Tonight, he'd gone over to the guildhall to hang out with their friends, but Juvia was tired and decided to stay home. So, in his absence, she re-cleaned the nursery, remade the crib, organized all the diapers, wipes and clothing and even emptied and repacked her hospital bag.

Gray and Juvia had discussed the merits of having the baby at the guild and using wizards rather than traditional doctor but, in the end, they chose to do everything "normally." They had a non-magic doctor (although Wendy watched over Juvia and the baby too) and they would go to a regular hospital for the birth. It just felt right to them. Natsu and Lucy had already decided to have their baby at Fairy Tail so no one gave the Fullbusters too much flack.

As Juvia worked around the house, she got a second wind and decided to go visit Gray at the guild. This would be one of the last times she'd get to see her friends before the baby came so she should enjoy it. She had just stepped into the bedroom to get ready when she felt the flood. Being extremely in tune with water, Juvia immediately knew that her water broke.

The mother-to-be's first thought was excitement, and she wanted to run straight to Gray so she could give him the news. Then she looked down, saw her soaked pants and knew she had to get changed first. What Juvia thought were Braxton Hicks all day now seemed to be real contractions coming every ten to fifteen minutes. It took about 15 minutes to get cleaned up and presentable. Then it took her another 10 minutes to gather the overnight bag and the little things she might need before heading towards the guild.

* * *

She'd had a few contractions since her water broke but it was all under control. Juvia didn't even think about it at the time but the Water Wizard walked into the guild, beaming from ear to ear while carrying the bag that most of her friends _knew_ was her hospital bag.

Her eyes found Gray, who's back was to her. He hadn't noticed her enter but Lucy did. At 19 weeks, the Celestial Spirit Wizard had an adorable baby bump, yet despite that she jumped up from the bench in a flash, eyes wide with excitement. "Juvia!"

Lucy's reaction caused Gray (and every other member of Fairy Tail) to turn in Juvia's direction but her husband was the only one who mattered. He looked at her oddly for a minute and then Juvia saw the blood drain from his face, but she had no idea why.

"Juvia?..." Gray questioned her quietly as she approached the table but everyone was being quiet as church mice so they could eavesdrop. The Ice Devil Slayer was attempting to control his emotions, not wanted to assume the obvious. Yet, the impact of what he was seeing and thinking made it hard to stay calm. "Why are you carrying that bag?"

"Huh?!" Finally, Juvia realized what she'd done. She should have left the bag outside or even at home. Instead, she'd unintentionally told Gray and the entire guild that it was time to have a baby without saying a word. Embarrassment hit her like a sledgehammer and her cheeks flushed crimson. "Oh... ummmm..."

Juvia glanced around at all the prying eyes and realized that the damage was already done. She couldn't tell him privately like she'd planned. Now she had to tell everyone. "Juvia's water broke. Juvia thinks it's time to have a baby."

The room erupted into loud cheers around them but neither Gray nor Juvia moved. Their eyes locked and she could see Gray both processing the information and trying to maintain his composure in front of their friends while Juvia just smiled at him. When she finally crossed to the remaining distance between them, he stood up and wrapped his arms around her.

His hug was tighter than usual and this time he whispered so only she could hear. "I love you!"

"I love you too!" she whispered back fiercely.

Just as she pulled away, a powerful contraction hit, making Juvia double over but Gray was right there with her. The pain held her in place for about 40 seconds, but she breathed through it and when she finally stood back up, Wendy and Mest were there.

"You should probably go get checked out, Juvia-san. I don't think you'll have to wait very long to meet the baby." Wendy had a big smile on her face as she looked at her friends. "Let Mest-san take you to the hospital now. Carla and I will be there in a little while, okay?"

"Sounds good. Thanks, Wendy." Gray smiled, hugging the little Dragon Slayer gently. The Fullbusters owed everything to Wendy and although she constantly rejected that notion, they never let her forget it.

"See you soon," Juvia smiled brightly.

A few moments later, Mest put a hand on each of their shoulders. "Ready to go?"

As soon as the trio was gone, the Fairy Tail Baby Pool kicked into high gear. Mira collected money for the next hour. Everyone made their bets on the date, time, size, eye and hair color, features and anything else they could think of regarding the newest edition to the Fairy Tail family.

* * *

In Fairy Tail, the Fullbusters were senior members of the guild and well known across Fiore but, to their friends, they were just Gray and Juvia. They were used to being treated like regular people. It never occurred to them that checking into the normal hospital would give them celebrity status. It seemed like every person working in the hospital came to congratulate them, check on them or try to chat.

Juvia was good-natured about it. As long as she wasn't having a contraction, she was happy to discuss the baby with anyone, but Gray wasn't nearly as altruistic. To the Ice Devil Slayer, this was a time to be together, get ready and have a healthy baby. All these fanboys and fangirls be damned. Finally, when the 22nd employee left the room, Gray snapped. The second she was out of the room, he slammed the door shut, hit the intercom and told the desk nurse that no was else was allowed to enter except their doctor, assigned nurses and Wendy. Everyone else was banned.

By the time her husband was done unloading on the hospital staff, Juvia was laughing so hard that real tears were leaking from her eyes.

"What's so funny?" he grumbled, still annoyed, but she saw the corners of his lips beginning to twitch, affected by her giggles.

"Juvia is sorry. I-It's just... I think the pregnant woman is supposed to be the mean one, not the husband." She was still giggling when he leaned down to peck her lips, finally allowing his smile to spread.

"You're just too nice for your own good so it's my job to protect you."

"Juvia thinks that's a wonderful idea."

The mother-to-be's labor intensified quickly. After being admitted, her contractions got closer together and within three hours of her water breaking, they were three minutes apart and roughly 60 seconds. With each contraction, Gray sat beside her and held her hand tightly in his. It was a little amusing that when there were particularly hard contractions, Juvia's magic would flare up a bit, sending water in random directions. She quipped that it was better than losing control of other bodily functions and Gray couldn't disagree with that.

By the time she was at 10 centimeters and ready to push, Wendy was in the room with Juvia and Gray. If anything happened that the doctors couldn't handle, chances were, Wendy could. This also doubled as a great learning experience for the Sky Dragon Slayer because if Lucy wanted Wendy to deliver her baby, she needed to see the process first, not just read about it in books.

Juvia pushed for just over an hour and every sound of pain she uttered cut straight through Gray like a knife. He was proud of his wife and wanted to protect her from everything, but this wasn't something he could prevent from happening. All he could do was hold her hand, cheer her on and tell her that he loved about 10 times per minutes.

Towards the end, she was covered in sweat and tears were rolling down her cheeks. She was exhausted, but she never complained or said she couldn't do it anymore. She faced childbirth like everything else in her life, head on and with no regrets. It occurred to him all over again that he really couldn't have found a better wife and Gray still didn't think he deserved her.

The last few pushes were excruciating for everyone but as soon as the baby was out, Juvia's final gasp was full of relief. The doctors worked quickly to clean out the baby's airway and within a few seconds he was crying... so were Gray and Juvia.

"It's a boy!" The doctor announced just before he laid the infant onto Juvia's chest. Almost as soon as mother and child were skin to skin, their son settled down.

Juvia wrapped her arms carefully around her son, crying but trying to stop so she could get a good look at him. He had a full head of black hair like his dad and, even as a brand-new infant, his eyelashes were amazing which he probably got from her. Even in his first moments, the little boy appeared to be a wonderful mix of both parents.

Gray wrapped an arm around Juvia's head and kissed her forehead while his other hand stroked their tiny son's hair. It was crazy to look down at this tiny human and realize that he was theirs forever. When he finally able to tear his eyes away from their boy; Gray looked back down on his wife, still sweaty and recovering from the last steps of labor, and thought she looked more beautiful than ever. When their eyes met, she smiled at Gray as if he were the most wonderful man on earth. "Congratulations, Gray-sama. You have a son."

He knew Juvia was happy about being right all this time, he could see it in her eyes. She was also probably correct that having a boy would be good for Gray but all that mattered was the fact that now the Fullbusters were a trio and everyone was happy and healthy. "Thank you so much. You did amazing."

Juvia couldn't contain her smile, even when Gray bent down to give her a rough kiss despite their small audience.

* * *

"Let's name him, Slate," Juvia said later that night when they were alone in the room, all sitting together on the hospital bed.

Gray knew what Juvia was going for. It was a color name like his and his fathers, but it was also original. He liked it so he nodded his agreement. "Sounds perfect."

The next morning, Gray, Juvia and Slate went home together for the first time.


	16. Chapter 16

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 16

* * *

That first night they were home with Slate, Gray and Juvia were still trying to figure this parenting thing out. From the first dirty diaper change looking like black tar and sending Gray into a mild panic to Juvia's bleeding nipples while trying to get breastfeeding going, it was new and exciting and downright terrifying.

It was late in the evening on their first full day home when Gray and Juvia sat down on the couch together, both exhausted and Juvia still sore from childbirth. They'd spent the last 24 hours taking catnaps and taking turns holding Slate. Right then, Slate was cuddled in Juvia's arms sleeping soundly.

Gray put his arm around his wife and pulled her towards him so she could kiss her on the forehead. It was a simple gesture but one so full of love that it made Juvia blush and when she looked up at him, the Water Wizard was all smiles.

"You're so good at this," he murmured, giving her a second kiss before glancing down at their son. Gray reached out, gently brushing the black hair on top of the infant's head. "I'm so afraid that I'll mess something up."

Gray's confession took Juvia by surprise. He'd been so natural ever since their son was born. The Ice Devil Slayer had changed diapers, rocked Slate to sleep and held him for hours. Juvia prided herself on being able to read Gray but she'd been so preoccupied that she hadn't even noticed his insecurities. It made her feel guilty, and she knew she had to set him straight.

"Gray-sama…" Shifting in her seat, she turned to face her husband with a smile. "Juvia thinks Gray-sama is a wonderful father already. Gray-sama won't mess anything up so don't worry. Besides... Juvia's here."

The Water Wizard put her hand over Gray's and squeezed it, comforting him much like he'd comforted her on their way to Tartaros. She was relieved when he smiled in response and entwined their fingers. "I couldn't do this without you," he admitted, leaning over to press his forehead to hers.

"Juvia feels the same way. Good thing we have each other."

When he kissed her lips, Juvia responded instantly. It wasn't so much the kiss itself but the emotion behind it that made them both feel warm and fuzzy. They were still kissing when Slate began to wake up, distracting them both.

"Hey, Buddy." Gray said, taking the infants little hand.

Slate wrapped his tiny fingers around Gray's pointer finger and held tight. It was the smallest of gestures, but both parents marveled at it. When the baby's dark eyes opened and looked around, it still seemed almost impossible that they'd created this tiny human.

"Do you want to help him?" Juvia asked, already putting Slate into Gray's arms. She knew she'd get him back as soon as he was hungry, so the Water Wizard tried to share as much as possible. It would be far too easy for Juvia to hold him tight and never let go.

"He looks so much like you," Gray said, smiling down at their son.

Juvia looked over at the Ice Devil Slayer like he'd lost her mind. Juvia might still be recovering but, even if she was still a little out of it, Slate clearly looked more like Gray. "Maybe Slate looks a little like Juvia, but he looks more like Gray-sama."

Her husband looked up skeptically before looking back and forth between Juvia and Slate. "You think so?"

"Juvia knows so!" She couldn't resist the giggle that worked up in her chest. "Gray-sama, take Slate and go look in the mirror!"

When he didn't move, Juvia climbed to her feet and pulled Gray's arm all the way to the bathroom. The blue-haired woman positioned father and infant son directly in front of the mirror before stepped aside to point out their features.

"Gray-sama, look at his hair, his eyes, his cheeks and even his ears. Slate looks just like you!" She couldn't contain her smile as she compared their similarities. Nothing made her happier than having their son look so much like his father.

For apparently the first time, Gray really considered what Juvia was saying but now that she'd pointed it out, he could see her point. It was easier when he thought about Silver. Gray knew he shared many similar features with his father and now Slate did too. That realization brought tears to his eyes.

Juvia watched it all play out for Gray. She was so happy that'd she'd been able to give Gray something that he didn't even know he needed. "I love you, Gray-sama."

* * *

Within the first week of Slate's life, Gray and Juvia got a handle on parenting. Slate had taken to breastfeeding now and Gray was a pro at changing diapers. They learned really quickly how to avoid getting peed all over and even dressing Slate had become easier.

Juvia wasn't nearly as sore and she was beginning to go stir crazy. Despite the near constant stream of visitors they'd received, it didn't change the fact that she hadn't left.

Gray looked over at his wife and knew something was bothering her. She wasn't her usual happy self, the sky above their house was overcast and it was obvious what she was thinking. They'd talked about keeping Slate home a little longer to get his immune system built up, but Slate was a healthy kid. Bringing Juvia's spirits up became his first priority. "Hey, Juvia... Let's go over to Fairy Tail today."

The Water Wizards face lit up instantly. "Really?!"

Just watching her smile so brightly over something so simple made him wish he'd made the suggestion sooner. He knew she missed their friends and hanging out in the hall, but she was also a dedicated mother who was protective of their son. He loved both sides of her. "Yes, really." He smiled back at her. "We can put Slate in the carrier and go. I'm sure everyone will be happy to see him.

Juvia glanced over at their son, sleeping soundly in his crib and then leapt from her seat, straight into Gray's arms. For a moment he thought she might cry, but she just held him tight. "Juvia would _love _that!"

About an hour later, Juvia had gotten herself ready while Gray dressed Slate for his first trip to the guildhall It hadn't occurred to the Devil Slayer at the time, but this was a big deal. So many of their most important moments had happened in and around the guild. Now he was getting to pass that place on to the next generation. It felt surreal and exciting at the same time.

Just as he was thinking about it, Juvia came out of their bedroom wearing one of her pre-pregnancy outfits. It was still a flowy dress, but she was almost back to her pre-pregnancy size, so this outfit showed a little of her returning curves. She'd brushed out her hair and put on a little makeup too. Juvia was always beautiful, but he hadn't seen her like this for a while and it made him want to take advantage of her right there. Obviously, that wasn't allowed yet, so he'd have to settle for a kiss and then a drink at the guild.

He climbed to his feet and pulled her into his arms, kissing her lips. "You look beautiful." Her answering blush just made her that much more attractive.

Gray helped Juvia put on the carrier and got Slate settled into it. As they were walking out the door, they almost forgot the diaper bag and then they almost forgot the cover that Juvia used for feeding Slate when they had company. When the new parents finally thought they had everything they needed, the Fullbuster's set out on their first family outing.

The guild was surprisingly full when they arrived. They could hear Natsu yelling about something before they even opened the door which made them both grin. The boisterous energy of the guild was exactly what they needed.

Gray opened the door for Juvia and followed her inside. Gajeel was the first one to greet them. He, Levy and the twins all sat at a nearby table with Jet and Droy. "Hey! You finally got out of the house!"

The Iron Dragon Slayer hopped up, carrying his daughter in one arm so he could give Juvia a quick side hug. "Good to see you!"

"Hi, Gajeel-kun!" Juvia replied with a big smile. "Juvia's happy to see you too!"

That evening, Slate was the star of the show. Everyone wanted a glimpse of him or wanted to hold him. Thankfully, their son was a happy baby and didn't mind being passed around. He slept through most of it but the person who got the most baby time other than Gray and Juvia was Lucy.

The Celestial Spirit Wizard was halfway through her pregnancy and Juvia understood the look of longing in her eyes, Like Juvia before her, Lucy couldn't wait to meet her own child so playing with Slate was a little bit of practice before the real thing.

When it was feeding time, Juvia went to a table off in the corner of the room. It wasn't necessary and no one would have said a word if she'd stayed with their friends, but this was more comfortable for her. Gray and Mirajane sat with her and kept up a stream of conversation. The white-haired woman was all smiles as she told the Fullbuster's all the things that had been happening lately.

The Grand Magic Games were coming up again and Mira wasn't sure if Fairy Tail would participate. The guild members had voted on a team of Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, Laxas and Wendy but none of those people seemed particularly interested in completing so they would probably pass. The next piece of news was that Evergreen had just announced her pregnancy. Mirajane was ecstatic about becoming an aunt and they made a mental note to congratulate Elfman and Evergreen the next time they met.

But the most important news was about Erza. Gray and Juvia realized the news was a secret when Mira lowered her voice "I was going to visit you tomorrow, but I'll just tell you now instead. Erza sent a letter. She should be back next week."

Juvia's immediately looked over at his husband, her own surprise reflected on his face. The Ice Devil Slayer was floored. "Does Natsu know?" he asked softly, trying to figure out why the Dragon Slayer hadn't yelled about it the moment they came in, but Mira shook her head.

"Her letter said not to tell Natsu. I think she was afraid that he'd run off to find her. It looks like she wants to return home on her own."

Gray nodded slowly. It made sense. Erza was one of his best friends and she was his big sister. It bothered him more than he would admit that she'd missed so many of the important moments in his life over the last year but, as long as she came home happy, Gray would be happy for her.

"Gray-sama! This is wonderful news!" Juvia exclaimed, adjusting Slate to cradle him with one arm so she could squeeze her husband's hand with the other. "Gray-sama can introduce her to Slate."

Just thinking about it made Gray smile. He knew that she'd be proud of him, but he wondered what else had changed in the last year. He'd bought a house, gotten married and become a father. He couldn't expect Erza to return the same as before either. He just hoped Erza had her own happiness to share or he and Natsu might have to go pay a visit to Jellal.

* * *

Over the next week, Gray and Juvia spent a lot of time at the guild. They'd told everyone that it as to visit friends but, in reality, it was to make sure they were there when Erza arrived.

Eight days after Mira confided in Gray and Juvia, the guildhall door opened and a moment later, Jellal and Erza walked in. Both looked nervous and unsure of their reception, but it wasn't the couple themselves that brought the room to a standstill. It was the fact that the couple were holding hands and that Erza was visibly pregnant.


	17. Chapter 17

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 17

* * *

"Erza!" Gray shouted out her name while jumping to his feet. Natsu wasn't at the guild yet so the Ice Devil Slayer had no competition when he rushed forward to hug his friend.

Erza's body stiffened when Gray hugged her because it wasn't their usual greeting, but she relaxed almost immediately and returned the embrace. She understood. Even during the one-year break from Fairy Tail, they'd stayed in contact. This was the longest they'd ever gone without seeing each other.

"Welcome home!" Juvia greeted warmly, walking up behind Gray with Slate sleeping peacefully in her arms.

"I'm home." Erza responded automatically but when she finally opened her eyes to smile at Juvia, she jumped away from Gray in shock. Her eyes darted from Slate to Juvia to Gray and back again. Finally, she turned to Gray, "Y-y-y-you had a baby?!"

Gray was about to respond with Jellal muttered under his breath. "I don't really think you are in any position to complain…" His expression was completely innocent except for the amusement dancing in his eyes causing the Requip Wizard to flush and throw him a playful scowl. Gray and Juvia tried their best to contain their amusement. If Jellal and Erza could joke like this now, they were doing just fine.

"I'm not c-complaining. I'm just surprised!" Erza defended herself, stepping towards Juvia to get a better look. Her eyes looked over Slate and then back up to Gray and smiled earnestly. "Gray, he looks just like you."

"That's what everyone says." Gray flashed Erza a smile that she hadn't seen before. He looked happier than ever as he stepped closer. "Erza, this is Slate Fullbuster. Juvia and I got married last fall, and he's about two-and-a-half weeks old."

"May I hold him?" she asked nervously, glancing at Juvia who was more than happy to pass him over.

Juvia loved Erza. She was a great friend and one of her most supportive allies but, other than Natsu, she was Gray's best friend. From the look on Gray's face, Juvia knew that he really wanted Erza's approval.

The scarlet-haired woman held Slate gingerly in her arms. She, like everyone else, loved his full head of black hair and ran her fingers softly over it. She watched in amazement as the infant squirmed to get more comfortable and then let out a big yawn that made her grin. "Juvia, he's so beautiful."

"Thank you!" The Water Wizard smiled brightly, glancing at her equally satisfied husband. "Erza, when are you due?"

Juvia's very obvious question made both Jellal and Erza flush crimson. "W-Well, umm-"

Just when Erza was going to discuss the elephant in the room, the guildhall doors flew open and Natsu came barreling in. "ERZA!"

"Don't you know how to open the door like a normal person?!" Gray complained, taking Slate from Erza's arms just in case.

"I know, right?! I'm always telling him the same thing!" Lucy rushed in behind Natsu, out of breath. Clearly the poor pregnant woman had been chasing her husband all the way over. But when Natsu stopped dead in his tracks, Lucy nearly walked right into him.

The Celestial Spirit Wizard looked up to see what stopped him and Lucy's audible gasp came at the same time as Erza's. "Erza!"

Both women pointed to each other in absolute shock and exclaimed in unison, "You're pregnant!"

Lucy recovered first and crossed the distance between them, giving the woman an awkward hug around their growing bellies. "We've missed you so much! How are you? Are you happy?"

"I've missed you too. Yes, I'm fine and I'm happy." Erza's gaze turned to Jellal who walked up beside her. Their long-time ally gave Lucy a smile and then smiled at everyone else while Erza explained. "Jellal and I got married and I'm pregnant, so, if Master agrees, we want to come home. Jellal left Crime Sorciere to Meredy so..."

"Jellal wants to join Fairy Tail?!" Juvia asked, obvious surprise in her voice. Both she and Gajeel were uniquely awake of how nerve-wracking this must be for the blue-haired man. Having been an enemy in the past, despite working as their ally for so long, he had to have concerns about his reception but Juvia knew the guild better than that from firsthand experience. "Juvia thinks that's a wonderful idea! Welcome to Fairy Tail!"

Juvia's warm welcome and big smile took the man off-guard at first but after a moment he smiled too. "Thank you."

The next few hours involved a lot of catching up. It felt almost comical that all three couples were married, and by the end of the year, they would all have children too. Master welcomed Jellal into Fairy Tail with open arms and everyone was happy when he got his guild stamp. Whether their guildmates were already friends with him or not, the Heavenly Body Magic Wizard being at Fairy Tail meant that Erza stayed at Fairy Tail and that was where she belonged.

Erza was due about three weeks before Lucy so they bonded over that and everyone was excited to talk about Slate. At one point, Juvia handed her tiny son over to Jellal who looked absolutely horrified. "I've never held a baby this tiny before," he admitted. Jellal looked like he'd rather face Acnologia again than hold Slate, but Gray laughed and put a supportive hand on his shoulder.

"I felt the same way the first time Levy handed me one of the twins but it's good practice. I swear."

* * *

Much like almost everyone new to Fairy Tail, Jellal was immediately accepted. The Fernandez's found a house a few blocks away from the Fullbuster's and the couples spent a lot of time together. Most of the times they were joined by Natsu and Lucy as well. Since Gray and Juvia had the infant child and the biggest house, their home became the new hangout spot. In the rare times that Wendy was home, she came over too and it was nice to have Team Natsu back together, even if it was a lot different.

Marriage and Family obligations gave them all a new outlook on life and what they wanted out of it. They were all still committed to working together but the idea of putting themselves in mortal danger every day didn't have quite the same appeal anymore. They were nearly all orphans, so they knew firsthand how hard it was for the children left behind. As a team, they were committed to making sure their children never had to know that pain.

They agreed to discuss their plans again once all the babies were born but, for now, Team Natsu was officially on hiatus. Wendy was 17 now, almost 18 and spent a lot of time on jobs with Carla and Mest. Sometimes other people joined them, but they'd become a pretty good trio and since Mest had proven time after time that he was willing and able to save Wendy when she was in danger, the rest of Team Natsu gave their blessing.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Gray asked looking between his wife and their 5-month-old son smiling at him from his carrier on Juvia's chest.

"Yes. Juvia needs to get out for a while!"

"But we're taking a job with a baby."

"We're taking an easy job with a baby," she corrected, walking over to Gray and giving him a quick kiss. "Slate will be fine. Juvia will protect him and Gray-sama will protect Juvia. Everything will be fine."

Realistically, Gray knew they'd be fine. The job was literally helping to re-route a few waterways in a town across Fiore. Gray's ability to create a temporary dam and Juvia's ability to control the water made them uniquely qualified for the job. Juvia had been dying to get back to work for a while now but she wasn't willing to leave Slate overnight yet either. To make things harder, this job was far enough away that they'd be gone for at least a week, so it was either everyone goes or no one goes. He'd given in fairly easily.

This continued Al and Bisca's tradition of Fairy Tail wizards taking their kids on jobs. Of course, they couldn't bring the kids on the dangerous jobs and, for those times, usually Bisca or Levy took them in, but now most of the small jobs included babies. When Nashi was born, she stayed with Natsu and Lucy nearly all the time.

* * *

"Gray-sama!" Juvia called from the living room while he was getting dressed. "Come and see Slate!"

When Gray rushed into the room to see what had her so excited, the Ice Devil Slayer found Juvia sitting on the floor about 5 feet from their son. Slate was concentrating really hard and a moment later he was pushing himself up. Before long, he'd pulled himself into a sitting position all on his own and was rewarded with cheers from his parents.

He'd been working on that skill for a couple of weeks, but this was the first time he'd actually managed it unassisted. Slate's little baby face lit up on satisfaction, but he focused to keep from falling over. He managed to hold himself up for nearly two whole minutes before he tumbled over, but Gray was there to catch him.

Gray scooped his son off the floor and flew him up in the air, earning him delightful baby giggles. "Good job, Slate! You're growing up so fast!"

"Good job!" Juvia echoed, coming over to kiss her son's forehead.

Watching Gray and Slate play together still made her misty eyed. The two Fullbuster boys had a wonderful relationship. They seemed to understand each other easily without words and it always warmed her heart. However, today she was a little more emotional than usual.

"Soon Slate will be crawling and walking and talking. Hopefully, he'll be happy being a big brother."

Gray turned to face Juvia so quickly, she thought he might lose his balance, but he didn't. She'd been trying to keep it together but, by the time their eyes met, Juvia was already crying happy tears.

"Big… brother?" He asked slowly, watching Juvia nod and giggle at his shocked expression despite her tears. "You're pregnant?"

"Yes. We're having another baby."

Gray pulled Juvia to him with his free hand and kissed her lips firmly. His heart was racing. They'd only just spoken about giving Slate a sibling a week ago but apparently it was already a done deal.

Unlike the last pregnancy announcement, this time there were no mixed emotions. Juvia's news brought nothing but pure joy to everyone.


	18. Chapter 18

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 18

* * *

At 13 months old, Slate was walking pretty well, and he was always on the go. He loved to be outside and loved being greeted by all the people in town who knew of his semi-famous parents. He only knew a few words but "Hello" and "Bye-Bye" were his favorites and they made everyone he spoke to swoon.

All the fresh air Slate required was great but at 7 months pregnant, Juvia's energy levels weren't at their peak. Walking with him every day was exhausting, but it made the little boy so happy, so she gave in every time.

One sunny afternoon, Slate was rushing along the sidewalk in front of a row of shops and restaurants. He'd been chasing a butterfly, not paying attention, when the toddler plowed right into the leg of a drunk leaving a seedy-looking bar. Slate was a tough kid, so when he bounced backwards and landed on his butt, his little eyes filled with tears from the unexpected collision, but he didn't cry.

The drunk, already unsteady on his feet was knocked backwards as well. He fell into the doorframe and came back up ready to fight. He either didn't realize Slate was a toddler or didn't care because he threw a kick at the boy without a second thought. Juvia's reaction was instantaneous. She didn't stop to consider her options; she moved on autopilot.

Juvia shielded Slate with her body and took a kick straight to her left side. On impact, she heard a familiar cracking sound and knew he's snapped at least one rib.

The next few things happened very quickly.

Slate was screaming. The pain in Juvia's side was blinding, but she'd been ready to fight back when the cavalry arrived. An iron bar came out of nowhere and knocked the drunk out of sight. Juvia vaguely recalled hearing Levy using her Solid Script Magic to bind the man until the authorities arrived.

By the time Gajeel and Lily got to Juvia, she had her right arm wrapped around Slate, trying to calm him down. Juvia's other hand held her left side, protecting her damaged ribs. The baby in her belly was kicking frantically, probably due to the adrenaline racing through her body, but it was making the damaged ribs that much more painful.

"Are you okay?!" Her best friend asked. He passed Slate to Levy, who'd rushed back to their side, before scooping Juvia into his arms.

"We're- Fine," she managed through gasps. She could feel Gajeel's arms shaking as he held her. If he hadn't been so concerned about the Water Wizard, he might have gone after that drunk and that would have been terrible for everyone. "Just take— Juvia home."

"Like hell! I'm taking you to Wendy," Gajeel grumbled, before turning to his partner. "Lily, go find Gray. We'll met you at Fairy Tail." Lily nodded once and took off like a shot.

"Gajeel-kun, Juvia is fine," she repeated, her breathing slowly coming under control.

"I heard your ribs break." He growled those words so darkly that even Levy glanced over at him, concerned. "You're lucky we were nearby!"

Juvia stayed quiet a long time. She wanted to dispute Gajeel's claims, but she knew he was right. She was very pregnant. Even if Slate was in danger, Juvia was a strong wizard. She had any number of other spells she could have used to stop that kick but, in the moment, it was the only thing she could do, and she didn't regret the decision. She knew their newest edition was fine too, so this was just a scare.

By the time they found Wendy at the guild, Slate was calmed down and Juvia was no longer gasping for air. "What happened?!" The smallest Dragon Slayer rushed over the second Gajeel called her name, looking horrified.

Juvia explained about Slate running into the man and his violent reaction to Wendy and everyone else in the guild who'd gathered around to watch and check on their friend. Wendy's magic began to work just as Gray busted through the door with Lily right behind him.

"Dada!" Slate screamed and squirmed in Levy's arms until she put him down. Then the toddler ran to his dad at full speed and buried his face into Gray's chest. He didn't cry, instead he just hid there in his father's circle of protection.

Gray scooped Slate up, did a quick inspection to make sure he was okay and then he nearly ran over to Juvia's side. He could read the pain on her face plain as day but before he could completely panic or ask any questions, Wendy spoke up.

"The baby is fine, but he broke 3 of your ribs. I'm going to heal them but if the baby kicks at them, it will probably hurt. Sorry!" Wendy's apology was sincere before she set to work on repairing her broken bones.

The whole time, Juvia didn't say anything because she was focusing on breathing, but Gray didn't say anything either. He held Juvia's hand and at one point he kissed her forehead, but he didn't speak. It wasn't until Wendy was done and Juvia confirmed that she was nearly pain free that Gray took a step away from his wife.

After that everything went off the rails.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Gray's anger was so unexpected that, at first, Juvia wasn't sure how to respond.

"W-What?!" Her big eyes blinked up at him uncomprehendingly.

"I said... What the hell were you thinking?!" Gray's booming voice echoed off every wall in the guildhall because no one else said a word, in fact, half the people were holding their breath.

The Water Wizard just stared at her husband. She could appreciate that she'd given him a scare and maybe she could even consider understanding why he'd be mad at her. However, he was shouting at her in front of everyone. The only people who might have stepped in were Natsu and Erza, but both were away on jobs, so she had to figure out how to calm him down.

"Well?!" He growled when Juvia didn't respond. The Water Wizard watched her son cringe in his father's arms and that was what set her off.

"Juvia was protecting our son!" She bit back, nerves causing her voice to sound more aggressive than she'd interested but it was too late to back off now.

"And you couldn't think of any other way than to throw yourself into the path of an attack?!" Juvia had seen Gray angry like this before but never directed at her.

"Juvia did nothing wrong! Slate is fine! Juvia is fine, and the baby is fine!" Now she was yelling too.

Gray and Juvia were yelling at each other, in the middle of the guildhall, in front of everyone.

"But what if they weren't?! What it you lost the baby?! Or what if Gajeel hadn't been there?!" Despite the fact that he was holding Slate, Gray's hands were balled into fists, as he fought to a losing battle to control his temper.

"But none of those things happened!" Juvia snapped.

"That's only because you were lucky!"

Husband and wife glared at each other for a long time. Neither was willing to give an inch because neither of them thought they were in the wrong.

Finally, Juvia lowered her voice and tried to speak calmly. "Gray-sama, everything is fine now. Let's not worry about it, okay?"

But the Ice Devil Slayer wasn't ready to calm down yet, and he lashed out. "Now you're just being stupid! I'm not going to just forget about it when I don't know when you'll put the kids in danger again!"

The second the words left his mouth, Gray regretted it. He didn't even mean it, but he was still too shaken and stubborn to apologize even though Juvia looked like she'd been slapped in the face.

It was eerily quiet in the hall for a few very long seconds before the Water Wizard spoke in barely a whisper, holding out her arms expectantly. "Give me Slate."

"Juvia, wait..." All of Gray's fire left him and his voice was practically pleading. Everyone realized he'd gone too far.

"GRAY, GIVE ME SLATE NOW!" Juvia's unexpected shriek while on the verge of tears made everyone in the room jump, including the Devil Slayer. Gray only hesitated another moment before he passed their son over.

When Slate went to Juvia, he had big tears rolling down his cheeks as he looked at his parents. He'd never seen them fight and, even though he didn't understand what was happening, he knew they were unhappy, and it made him sad.

When the toddler was securely in her arms, the Water Wizard turned to Wendy and forced a tight smile despite the tears swimming in her eyes. "Thank you, Wendy. I owe you again." Then Juvia turned and walked out the front door without looking back.

"Juvia, wait!" Gray took one step towards the door but Gajeel stepped into his path looking every bit the intimidating Dragon Slayer.

"I think you should give her some time to calm down." There was no room to argue with Gajeel. Gray knew he was right, and Ice Devil Slayer also knew that Gajeel was prepared to physically restrain him if it came to that.

While Gajeel had Gray blocked off, Wendy took off out the door after Juvia.


	19. Chapter 19

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 19

* * *

Juvia used every bit of her willpower to walk out the door of Fairy Tail with her head held high. Hearing Gray call for her and not turning back might be one of the hardest things she'd ever done, but it was all too much. If she turned back, they just would've started arguing again.

The Water Wizard was hurt and angry and still rattled from both the attack on Slate and her first real fight with Gray. All she wanted to do was sit down and cry, but Slate was watching her closely, tears still rolling down his little cheeks. If she gave in to her emotions, the toddler would as well and that wouldn't help anything.

By the time Juvia got to the main road, the rain was pouring down. It'd been a long time since she'd affected the weather and it made everything feel that much more painful. It took a few moments before Juvia realized that someone was following her but once she did, the blue-haired woman found cover and waited.

"Juvia-san. Please wait." Wendy was almost as tall as Juvia now and when the younger girl stepped out of the rain, soaking wet, she looked nearly as miserable as the Water Wizard felt. "Please come back."

Juvia opened her mouth to speak but couldn't. The sob was stuck right in her throat and if she said anything; she knew she'd lose it. The tears were already beginning to trickle down her cheeks, mixing with the raindrops. Finally, she closed her mouth and shook her head.

"But-" Wendy began to plead but stopped herself. As much as the Dragon Slayer wanted to take Juvia back to Gray so they could make up, Wendy could appreciate that she was out of her league. The level of pain in the Water Wizard's eyes wasn't something she could fix that easily, so she admitted defeat and simply asked her pregnant friend, "Are you okay?"

"J-Juvia is fine." She answered Wendy reluctantly, letting out a sigh. "But I can't go back there, Wendy. I'm s-sorry." With that last word, Juvia's voice cracked, her tears overflowed, and she knew she had to get out of there. Sheltering Slate with her body, Juvia ran into the rain and away from Wendy, away from Fairy Tail and away from Gray.

First Juvia went home, got the stroller and changed Slates clothes. She might be upset, but she wasn't going to let her son sit in wet clothes all day either. Then she haphazardly filled up a bag with whatever she thought she might need and left again before Gray came home. When she stepped out of the house into the rain, Juvia realized that this was the first time she ever used the plastic stroller rain cover that Gajeel had given to her as a joke before Slate was born. She'd never dreamed that it would get used for something like this.

The blue-haired mother didn't have a destination in mind. She just wandered. Slate's day had been far too upsetting for the little boy and he fell asleep in the stroller before they'd even gotten to the end of the block. That made her feel even more alone. How had everything gone so terribly wrong?

As Juvia made her way through town, she could hear people talking.

"It was so nice earlier. What happened?!"

"Where did this rain come from?"

"The downpour totally ruined my date!"

Every comment she heard cut like a knife. It brought back all those painful memories of so many years ago and more pain was exactly what she didn't need. She didn't want to hurt, and she'd never intended to hurt anyone. All she'd wanted to do was protect Slate. Now she wasn't even sure what she should be doing.

Juvia walked for hours, while Slate napped. Normally she would have woken him up but right now letting him sleep was for the best. No matter how badly Juvia wanted to go make up with Gray, she couldn't. She was still devastated that he'd implied that she couldn't be trusted with their children. It didn't matter if he'd meant those words or not. Gray had said them out loud, in front of everyone.

* * *

Gray stared at the door Juvia walk out for a long time. Although people in the guild slowly went back to their own conversations, everyone gave Gray a wide berth and, for a while, no one even spoke to him at all. He felt like the smallest person on earth.

When Lily showed up at their house, even the exceed was visibly stressed when he explained what had happened. Only the worst-case scenarios played in his head. From Lily's explanation, Slate was fine but shaken up, so his concern went straight to Juvia and the baby. The whole way to the guild Gray was obsessing over "what if's" and by the time he got to the hall, he'd half convinced himself that all those things had actually happened.

When Slate ran to him, that was Gray's first hint of relief. His son didn't have a scratch but when he got to Juvia's side, he could see the pain in her eyes, and he could hear her gasping for breath. He wanted to take all her pain away and wrap her into a hug but honestly; he was afraid to touch her. Everything was just scarier when she was pregnant.

"The baby is fine, but he broke three of your ribs," Wendy announced.

Overwhelming relief and the desire to go kill that drunk battled for dominance in his mind but he didn't dare leave Juvia's side. He held her hand tightly, feeling every strained breath she took, and it was eating him up. This was his wife who he'd promised to protect yet here she was, hurt again. She was too reckless and Juvia never put enough importance in her own personal safety.

She should have known better! The more he thought about it, the more frustrated Gray became. She could have used her magic to shove that guy away or drown him or even just move Slate. Instead, she took a brutal hit, putting herself and the baby in literal mortal danger.

By the time Wendy had Juvia fixed up, Gray was seething, and he lashed out for everyone to see. Now he felt like an absolute asshole. He still felt justified in being angry, but he hadn't even hugged Juvia. He hadn't even asked her if she was okay. He'd just flung out wild accusations at her.

The worst part was that he didn't even meant it. Juvia Fullbuster was the best mother he'd ever seen. She would give anything to protect her family. She'd proven that time and time again. Yet the only thanks he could give her was to attack her and tell her that he didn't trust her. What a crock of shit!

Gray finally went back to the bar and sat in the stool closest to the wall and the furthest from everyone else. He wanted to turn back time. What made it all worse was that Juvia actually left. Although they'd never had a serious fight before, Gray had taken for granted that she'd always be there but this time it had gone too far. Not only had Juvia left, but she'd taken Slate with her. The shit icing on this whole terrible cake was that he could now hear rain pounding down on the roof and he knew exactly what was causing it.

"You're an idiot." Cana's blunt, humorless words came a moment before she plopped down on the barstool next to him.

"Are you trying to make me feel worse?" he snapped, eyes locked on his interlaced hands resting on the bar top.

"Yes, actually."

"Well, it's working!"

"Good!" Cana grabbed Gray by the shoulder and turned him until he was forced to look at the statuesque woman. "Do you have any idea how lucky you are to have Juvia? She treats you like a king! She'd do anything for you or Slate and obviously the new baby."

"I know that," he muttered darkly, and he meant it.

Gray's admission made Cana sigh, and she lost some of her steam. When she spoke again, it was softer. "Then what were you thinking?"

He let the question hang there for a while, not 100% sure how to answer. "I was so scared," he breathed, turning away from Cana but still willing to talk. He'd seen Mirajane join them so he might as well talk to both of them. "I just kept thinking what if we lost the baby or what if Juvia had gotten hurt worse or what if Gajeel hadn't been there? By the time Wendy said they were fine... it just all came out."

It even sounded stupid and nonsensical to him. Now that he'd calmed down, Gray couldn't even rationalize his own actions. He'd just wanted everyone safe, and he felt awful that he hadn't been there to protect them.

"You have to apologize to her." Mira's tone was much kinder than Cana's had been, but she pointed to the rain outside to prove her point. "She's obviously upset."

"I don't think she wants to see me. Besides, Gajeel has no intention of letting me leave," Gray reminded, gesturing to the Iron Dragon Slayer still scowling in his direction despite Levy's numerous attempts to distract him.

"Just give her some time. I'm sure she'll calm down and then you can talk." Mira's smile and comforting words didn't help. Gray knew he deserved Juvia's anger.

He didn't dare say it out loud, but he was afraid. He'd never seen Juvia that angry at him and he'd never seen her look so genuinely hurt either. His biggest fear was that she just wouldn't come back and maybe he deserved it. Does a man deserve a second chance when he said the things he said? What would he do if she walked away? Gray had taken everything for granted and now he didn't think he could do any of this without her.

* * *

Juvia's mind wouldn't stop racing. At first, she'd been absolutely convinced that Gray didn't believe those words but now she was overthinking his every move. Was he sick of her? Maybe... Did Gray not want her anymore?

The Water Wizard walked aimlessly through Magnolia until long after the sun went down. She did her best to keep Slate entertained, but it was well past his bedtime and Juvia knew she had to take him home.

She was a mess as they headed home. Would Gray be there? Would he not be there? Which was better and which was more painful? She wanted to see Gray. She wanted to talk to him. She wanted to ask if he still loved her. Could he ever trust her again? Pregnancy was making her emotions overflow. Every crazy thought and doubt that had ever plagued Juvia was rearing its ugly head.

When she opened the front door, all the lights were off, and nothing was moving. Gray wasn't there. She had her answer and her heart sank. It was a million times worse that Gray wasn't home. Maybe he wasn't even planning to come back. She was devastated but Slates overtired whimpering brought her back to the present. No matter how bad Juvia felt, Slate was her priority.

Juvia got Slate cheered up and dressed him for bed. Then she kissed him goodnight and got him to sleep but, all too quickly, the silence in the house was overbearing and the Water Wizard couldn't take it anymore.

Juvia sat down on their couch and cried.


	20. Chapter 20

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 20

By the time Gray left the guild, it was nearly 3am. At first, he'd stayed because of Gajeel but then he'd stayed because he was drunk. He was drunk, and he was afraid of what he'd find when he got home. When he finally stepped out into the pouring rain, it hurt. Magnolia wasn't supposed to have rain the entire week yet here it was, and it was his fault.

That short walk to the house felt like a million miles. Each step bringing more fear, more guilt. By the time his hand turned the knob, his stomach was clenched into a knot. The house was dark but as soon as Gray turned on the lights, relief nearly brought him to his knees. Juvia was home.

The Water Wizard wasn't in the room, but her shoes were by the door. Slate's diaper bag full of haphazardly packed supplies sat on the floor open and forgotten. The plastic stroller cover, still wet, hung out to dry nearby too. Gray was relieved, but he knew this was only the first step. There were so many other unknowns that he didn't dare to hope that it would all be okay.

Gray kicked off his shoes and went to the nursery first. Slate was there, snuggled with the teddy bear Lucy had given him for his birthday. He looked peaceful and safe and he was home. Leaning down, Gray kissed Slate's cheek and ran a gentle hand across the top of his head. He wanted to hold him and hug him, but he knew it had to wait until morning. There were other things he should do first.

After that, Gray headed to their bedroom. He needed to see Juvia. When he stepped inside, he found his wife sleeping in their bed. From the doorway she looked peaceful and, if not for the rain, he might even believe that she was okay.

He crossed the room slowly, not wanting to disturb her but when he got close enough to see her face, he felt terrible all over again. Juvia looked exhausted. Her hair was a mess and still damp from the rain, her eye makeup had run and the dark bags under her eyes told him that she'd probably cried herself to sleep.

All the Ice Devil Slayer wanted to do was wrap Juvia in his arms and apologize. He wanted to kiss away her tears and make her smile again, but Gray didn't even know if he had the right to do that anymore. The last thing he wanted to do was make anything worse.

So, although Gray's biggest wish was to climb into bed with his wife, he didn't. Instead, he pulled the covers up over Juvia's shoulders, allowing his fingers to run lightly along her cheek. Then he grabbed his pillow, the blanket from the foot of the bed and headed to the living room. Gray's never slept on the couch before, but it only seemed right. He wasn't going back in their bedroom until Juvia invited him.

Juvia woke up around 6am. Her eyes felt swollen from the night before and the rain pouring against the bedroom window reminded her that it wasn't a dream. She'd really had a fight with Gray.

Gray!

The blue-haired woman looked beside her as soon as she could focus, and her heart sunk when she realized the bed was empty. She'd been hoping and praying that he'd come home overnight. She needed to believe that Gray still loved her and coming home was an important piece of that.

But then she realized something was off. Juvia didn't remember covering herself up last night yet she was tucked in. And Gray's pillow was gone too. Upon further inspection, she was also missing a blanket from the foot of the bed. All those things could only mean one thing. Gray _had_ come home last night; he just wasn't in bed.

Juvia climbed out of bed as quickly as one can when they are heavily pregnant and rushed for the door. She wanted to find Gray but as she got closer, fear took over and her quick steps slowed to a snail's pace. Her eyes found Gray as soon as she entered the room, like they always did. Her husband was sleeping on the couch. He looked squished and uncomfortable. As she got closer, she could see the signs of stress on his face even in sleep. She just didn't know if he'd chosen to sleep there because he was still mad or if he was worried that she was.

Juvia could smell the stale alcohol on his and she was sure she should probably let him sleep longer but she couldn't wait anymore. The Water Wizard needed to talk to Gray or at least get him to come to bed.

After a deep breath, Juvia reached out an unsteady hand and shook his husband's shoulder gently. "Gray-sama... Gray-sama..." She called out to him softly. "Why are you on the couch? At least come to bed."

The Ice Devil Slayer groaned at the sound of his name, subconsciously fighting the interruption until everything fell into place and his eyes snapped open. Their eyes locked, and neither moved for a long time. Both of their hearts were racing and Juvia had to work very hard to keep her emotions in check.

"Gray-sama... Don't sleep on the couch. Come to bed," she breathed, the intensity of his gaze making it hard to concentrate.

"Juvia." He murmured her name with adoration. His hand reached out to touch her cheek just to verify that she was real.

There were so many emotions crossing Gray's face that Juvia couldn't make heads or tails of it, but he didn't look angry and that was a good start. Just when she thought he might not do anything, Gray jumped to his feet so quickly, it startled Juvia. She would have fallen backwards if he hadn't caught her and pulled her into a crushing embrace.

"I'm sorry!... I'm so sorry, Juvia." Gray pulled back enough to look Juvia in the eye and there were tears swimming in his. "I'm so sorry."

When they hugged again, Juvia didn't even fight the tears. The Water Wizard dropped her face to his chest and cried until his shirt soaked through. "Gray-sama... Juvia is so sorry... Juvia was only trying to protect Slate. ... Juvia didn't think."

"Shhhh..." He hushed her and smoothed her hair around her face, cupping her cheeks so she could see his face. Juvia was apologizing, but that didn't make any sense. He was the one in the wrong. He was the one who'd said too much. He was the one who'd failed to be a good husband. She shouldn't be the one feeling guilty. "Stop apologizing. We need to talk."

The expression that crossed her face was abject fear. Although he'd only wanted to tell her how he felt, it was obvious that she was expecting the worst and it reminded him of that day she'd come to confess about killing the necromancer. he looked absolutely convinced that something bad was about to happen and that made him feel even worse.

"Why don't you sit down?" When Juvia didn't move, Gray sat down on the couch and pulled the pregnant woman down beside him. He took her left hand tightly in both of his and he began to talk before Juvia could.

"W-When Lily came to get me... I envisioned the worst-case scenario. ... I was convinced that something terrible was going to happen and I... I just lost it." His words weren't coming out the way he wanted. There were so many things he wanted to say but it was all jumbled up and he had a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with matching drinks to Cana. "What I'm trying to say is that I love you. ... I love you and I can't imagine my life without you."

"You're the best mother I've ever seen. You would do anything to protect Slate or the baby... or me. I never should have said what I said. It isn't true. ... You've always been by my side and I can't do any of this without you." He gestured wildly around the room to imply life in general. "I took for granted that you'd always be there and I'm sorry. I love you..."

After that, Gray looked Juvia in the eye with tear-stained cheeks and thickly begged. "Please don't leave me."

Juvia cried. She dropped her face into her hands and cried but, for the first time since this all started, the tears weren't of regret or sadness. These were tears of relief. Gray still wanted her. He needed her. He wasn't sick of her or bored like the devil on his shoulder had been whispering all night.

Gray wrapped his arms around her tightly, still apologizing and he didn't care if he had to apologize forever if it meant she stayed. When she finally began to calm down, he asked softly, "Why are you crying?"

She didn't answer at first but, after Gray's confession, it only seemed fair that she also tell him how she felt. "Juvia was afraid. ... Juvia thought... you might not want her anymore... or that you were sick of her. ... Juvia was worried you... regretted marrying her..."

Her eyes were focused on her bare feet as she spoke but as soon as she said that last part, Gray reacted. The Ice Devil Slayer took her by the shoulder and turned her to face him. He took her face in his hands and kissed her firmly on the lips, lingering for just a moment. When he pulled her back again, he gaped at his wife.

"You're wrong. Juvia, I got mad because you don't even think about yourself. You'll always save everyone without a second thought, but you never put enough concern into your own personal wellbeing. I'm thankful you protected Slate. You're a wonderful mother... but what am I going to do if I lost you or the baby? Pregnant or not... Juvia, I can't lose you. ... I lost you once..." He shivered at the memory. "Please don't be so willing to sacrifice yourself. … What good is this life if you aren't here to share it with me?"

This time she kissed him but there was nothing sweet about this kiss. Juvia melted into him, deepening the kiss almost immediately. His words were the salve to her soul that she'd desperately needed. Gray loved her and wanted her. The relief was nearly overwhelming.

Juvia let her hands wrap around his neck and Gray wrapped his arms around her swollen middle. It didn't matter what time it was or if Gray was still a little drunk. It didn't matter if Juvia was 7 months pregnant or that Slate was asleep in his crib. They needed each other. They needed to hold each other, feel each other and reaffirm their feelings. If they'd had their first real fight, it was only fair that they got the chance to make up too. Gray _did _come to bed after that.

A good while later, Juvia laid snuggled in her husband's arms, content as the morning sun shined in through the window. "Gray-sama, I love you so much," she murmured, kissing his bare chest.

The Ice Devil Slayer smiled to himself as he kissed the top of her head. "I will always love you. Don't forget that."

"Juvia won't."

It wasn't until Slate woke up after 9am that they finally got out of bed and got ready for their day. They spent most of the morning apologizing to their friends and assuring them that everything was okay.

The only person who didn't easily forgive and forget was Gajeel. It ended up being a solid week before that relationship got back to normal and only after the Dragon Slayer promised to knock Gray out if he "ever said stupid shit like that again."


	21. Chapter 21

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 21

* * *

Two months after their first real fight, Gray held Juvia's hand in the hospital. She'd gone into labor a day and a half earlier and things had been progressing well. Then it all stopped, and they were almost sent back home until it started up all over again.

Juvia was in pain and exhausted but she wasn't complaining, and it made him feel useless. Now she was finally in the pushing stage and he didn't know where she found the energy to keep at it. The Water Wizard was covered in sweat, she hadn't slept properly since this all began, and she was missing Slate who was playing with the twins at Gajeel and Levy's house but still she kept going.

"Okay, Juvia. I think one more push and we'll be done." The doctor looked up at Juvia with an optimistic smile. "So just give me your best push and we should be done."

Gray felt Juvia take in a deep breath, readjusted her grip on his hand and bared down. New beads of sweat broke out on her face and although she didn't cry out, the groan of pain and effort was heart-wrenching. If Gray could have helped her, he would've but instead he just gave her encouragement and supported her back.

A few moments later, Juvia let out a huge gush of breath a second before they heard the crying. The flood of relief and exhaustion hit at once and the bluenette collapsed back onto the bed but the smile on her face was priceless.

"It's a girl!" The doctor announced the news immediately and a minute later, he placed their daughter on Juvia's chest.

The Water Wizard was crying when she wrapped her arms around the little girl. It was a mixture of relief and joy. The little girl had all her fingers and toes. She had huge eyes with heavy lashes like Juvia and although she only had a little bit of hair; it was light blue like hers. But despite having Juvia's eyes and hair, their daughter had a lot of Gray as well. Her nose, lips, ears... all her fathers. Even though it was bias, Juvia though she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

Gray hugged both his girls close. He'd never admit it to Juvia, but Gray had been terrified to have a daughter. He didn't know the first thing about little girls, but now that she was here, he wouldn't have it any other way. She was tiny, quite a bit smaller than Slate had been but she was still absolutely perfect.

* * *

About an hour later when everyone was cleaned up, and they were left alone, Gray and Juvia sat together on the bed talking.

Juvia kissed the top of their daughter's head and then kissed Gray's lips. "I love you."

"I love you too," he responded, pushing hair out of her face. "What should we name her?"

Gray asked because Juvia had openly wanted a daughter the entire pregnancy so there was no way she didn't have some sort of idea. On the other hand, his mind was completely blank, and he knew they couldn't keep calling her "the baby" forever.

Juvia's cheeks flushed instantly. It was the telltale sign that she _did,_ in fact, have at least one idea. She looked adorably nervous about it, so he just smiled and gave her a moment to think about it. Gray sat up on the edge of her bed, one hand constantly touching their daughters back.

"Well… Juvia actually thought of two names…" Juvia began slowly, looking down at the sleeping angel in her arms. Then her eyes turned up to her husbands, and she smiled sheepishly. "If Juvia tells Gray-sama, will he choose?"

"I'll do my best," he promised, hoping the sudden panic didn't show on his face.

Slate's name had been easy. Juvia came up with it. Gray liked it. Done deal! Now there were choices, and it felt like a big responsibility.

"Aright then. Juvia is down to two names. The first name is Mika after Gray-sama's mother. … The second name is Elaine which means shining light. ... Does Gray-sama like either of those?"

The Ice Devil Slayer didn't answer at first. When Juvia suggested Mika, it'd taken Gray aback. He liked the idea of honoring his mother like that, but he wasn't sure. On the other hand, Elaine was a pretty name for a pretty girl, but Gray understood why his wife picked it. Juvia's name meant rain, and it was something that plagued her for many years. If their daughters name meant shining light, Juvia was clearly hoping that was what the future held for her.

Gray looked at Juvia. Despite nearly two days of labor, she was still the most beautiful woman in the world. Even more so because she was holding their baby. Then his eyes dropped to the little girl. He gently ran his hand over her head and when he spoke, it was to her.

"Welcome to the world, Elaine Fullbuster. We've been waiting a long time to meet you."

When his eye's met Juvia's, hers were swimming with tears but she smiled "Juvia is very blessed."

* * *

Slate loved his little sister. Anywhere Elaine was, the little boy wanted to be there too. On one hand, it made it easy to keep an eye on him but on the other hand, he was constantly underfoot.

The family fell into their routine pretty easy. With one baby, they'd been able to take Slate out on a few jobs but with two children under two, it just wasn't possible. Since Juvia was still breastfeeding, she normally stayed home with the kids while Gray took jobs either on his own or on rare occasions with Team Natsu when they could all make it work. Since everyone had children, other than Wendy, it wasn't nearly as easy to just pick up and go. Juvia really only took work when it was a job where her specific skills were requested.

That was how the family worked for the next couple of years. In that time, Gajeel and Levy had another daughter and Natsu and Lucy had a son. By the time Gray and Juvia celebrated their 5-year wedding anniversary, Fairy Tail had a fairly sizable next generation.

* * *

For the first time in over four years, Gray and Juvia were taking a trip without their kids. It was their 5th wedding anniversary and the Dragneel's gift was to watch the kids while there were away. The Redfox's gift was a trip to a remote hot spring about a day travel away. They were scheduled to be gone three nights which meant they'd be away from the kids for about five days. Neither had ever been away from the kids that long and although they didn't say it out loud, they were both nervous.

They took a train to the hot spring and were able to sit together and relax without having to keep a constant eye on little people. It was hard to adjust but once they did; it was refreshing. They sat beside each other, holding hands, Juvia resting her head on Gray's shoulder while she told him about Slate trying to learn water magic.

"Slate had been asking Juvia for days to teach him so she finally gave it. Juvia thinks Slate thought it would be easy since Ice Make Magic had come so naturally but he was really struggling. Finally Slate made enough water to drench himself from head to toe. He got so mad, he swore he'd never use water magic again and stomped into the house."

Juvia couldn't help laughing and Gray joined her. "That sounds like him."

Their son was a good kid, and he always wanted to do a good job but any time the 4-year-old struggled to learn something right away, he got frustrated and wanted to give up. Gray was the only person who Slate wasn't willing to fail in front of. For his dad, he'd try over and over until it was perfect but with Mom, he didn't mind being childish.

"It's ok. He wants to be like Gray-sama. Ice Make Magic is good for him."

They got to the hot spring and were able to fully relax for the first time. They seemed to have the whole place to themselves and it was fun to just talk, relax and enjoy each other's company. That night they ate dinner in their room and talked. They talked about the kids, the guild, jobs, their friends and a litany of other things before Gray got up from his place and came over to sit hip to hip with Juvia.

"Gray-sama?"

She knew that look in his eyes, so it wasn't surprising when he reached out and pulled her face to his, kissing her lips gently. They lingered there for a long time, their lips just barely touching, but it made her heart race. It'd been a long time since they had time. There wasn't any need to rush or hold back. They could just enjoy each other.

When he finally broke the kiss, Gray didn't move away and when he spoke, their lips were still barely brushing. "Have I told you that I love you today?" he murmured softly.

Her heart was pounding so fiercely, Juvia was sure Gray could hear it and she could barely breath out her single word answer. "Yes."

"Have I shown you how much?"

"... No."

The room was so quiet, the only sound was their breathing. She could feel his warm breath on her lips and the anticipation was equal parts exhilarating and nerve-wracking. She wanted to kiss him again, but the moment was so intense, she never wanted it to end.

It was with great reluctance when Gray pulled back enough to look into Juvia's eyes. He knew she was just as affected as him. He could tell her breathing was quicker, and she looked at him with those big hungry eyes that made him want to make love to her right then, but this was a rare opportunity to take their time and he planned to savor it.


	22. Chapter 22 - Smut Warning

Where Do We Go From Here?

By: juvia0613 (FayeValentine00)

Chapter 22

* * *

Gray pushed the yukata off Juvia's shoulder, exposing her shoulder and collarbone. The Ice Make Wizard then kissed that skin slowly. He heard her breath catch when he kissed her neck and behind her ear.

Juvia's eyes closed on their own. Every place Gray touched, it felt like he was touching for the first time. He was treating her like she was precious and there was a hint of worship in each of his movements. Even just those simple kisses made her feel like a queen.

Their lips met again, and the Water Wizard reached her hand out to cup his face while Gray ran his fingers through her hair. The kiss deepened, his tongue dancing with hers, tasting and exploring until a low moan escaped Juvia's throat. She'd needed this for so long.

Gray's hand cupped her breast through the fabric, kneading it, his fingers playing with her hardening nipple, driving Juvia absolutely crazy. Her hand moved down his chest and into it was lap. She had the fleeting thought that it was amazing that they were still dressed but Juvia and Gray were on the same page. They were going to make this last.

Her hand trailed along the inside of his thigh, brushing against his erection through the fabric, only providing enough pressure to tease. Gray growled deep in his throat, the audible evidence of his impatience made Juvia bolder.

With a giggle, Juvia hiked up her yukata and, in one quick motion, climbed into Gray's lap, straddling him. When the Water Wizard smiled down at him, she looked like the cat who caught the canary.

Gray openly laughed. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Hmm..." She mock-considered his question, trying to look innocent. "Juvia is just playing."

"Do I get to play too?" Gray's eyes were dancing with amusement.

"Juvia certainly hopes so."

A second later, Juvia was bare to the waist, the yukata pulled down to expose her body. Gray kissed the valley between her breasts, breathing in her scent and allowing himself to fall under the Water Wizards spell all over again. His hand ran over her breast, across her flat stomach, over her amble hip until he got a handful of ass, making Juvia gasp seductively. Whether Juvia meant to or not, she was driving Gray wonderfully crazy.

The Water Wizards hips seemed to move on their own, her body grinding into Gray, causing him to become even harder as it craved the woman who was practically begging for it. Her hands ran through Gray's hair and when she leaned down to kiss him, it was tender.

Even though her body was screaming for more, Juvia's mind craved the intimate closeness of simply making out with her husband. She pushed back his yukata as well, and they held each other tight. Juvia could feel Gray's muscular body against her soft skin and it made her feel safe and protected.

She kissed his neck, his collarbone, under his chin, his lips, his ear. Every place she could reach. Juvia's fingers caressed his back, his chest and ran through his hair. Gray was the only man she'd ever truly loved and wanted. Nothing would ever change that. Moments like these, when Gray worshipped her body, told Juvia that he felt the same.

Gray's fingers worked on the knot to her sash while they kissed and before long, her clothes were completely discarded. A moment later, his were as well.

"Hold on tight," Gray said with a devilish gleam in his eyes.

"Gray-sama? What are you d— AHHH!"

Juvia's words broke off in a shriek when Gray stood up from his sitting position, still holding her in his arms. His hands cupped her ass while she clung to him like a monkey out of surprise. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms locked around his neck like a vice. But once the initial shock passed, they both laughed, and the kissing resumed.

Gray carried Juvia to their futon and laid her down before joining her. His body hovered over hers, their chests were touching. "Happy anniversary, Juvia."

"Happy anniversary, Gray-sama. Thank you for loving Juvia." The smile she flashed him was so dazzling it made his heart skip a beat.

"Always."

When his lips met hers again, it was different. What had been kisses of love and cherishing, quickly progressed into desire and need. His body pressed into hers and she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling his body closer. Juvia needed him now. She wanted to be filled with Gray. She wanted to feel completely possessed, and she wanted to stay that way until neither of them could think straight anymore.

Gray must have felt the same way because he plunged into her without much more foreplay. They both gasped as their bodied joined but, since they weren't home, Gray smothered their gasps with a kiss. Their bodies knew each other well after all these years and they moved together in unison. Although they'd wanted to make it last longer, they still had two more days for that. Now they just needed release.

Juvia's pleasure was obvious in the way she tried so hard to control her voice but she only half succeeded. Her little gasps and moans just pushed Gray harder to make her lose control. Who cared if they were embarrassed tomorrow? Right now, was much more important than the people they'd probably never see again.

Her body was squeezing his so tightly, throbbing against him that he barely held out until she climaxed and together, they found their release. Much to Gray's satisfaction and amusement, Juvia's cry echoed off the walls, and he had to bury his face in her neck to muffle his own sounds.

It took them a while to recover, still as one, breathing in gasps, a sheen of sweat covering their bodies. When he finally moved off her and lay beside her so the Water Wizard could cuddle in his arms, Gray used a touch of ice magic to cool them down in the warm room. Juvia sighed deliciously at the sensation and cuddled deeper into his chest.

They didn't talk for a while. With two young kids, Juvia didn't have a lot of time to stay naked these days. Gray was still Gray, and the kids were used to him being mostly naked but, now that they had a daughter, he at least kept his underwear on. So, for that moment, they actually got to enjoy the afterglow of lovemaking.

Finally, Gray leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "I'm really glad we came. I think I really needed this..."

"Juvia is happy too but... what does Gray-sama mean?" She wasn't so much worried as she was curious about Gray's cryptic statement.

The Water Wizard was surprised when Gray sighed and turned his head away so she couldn't see his face, but she could tell he was blushing. "I don't know... Sometimes... I guess... I just get jealous."

"Jealous?!" Juvia sat straight up and looked at her husband, trying to get him to look her way but he didn't. "Who would Gray-sama be jealous of?!"

There was such a long pause that she didn't think he'd answer the questions but finally he did, very begrudgingly. "... The kids..."

"The kids?!" Juvia hadn't even considered that answer so when she received it, she was shocked. "Why would Gray-sama be jealous of the kids?"

"N-Nothing. It's stupid. ... Just... forget I said anything."

Gray was sulking now, and it was adorable. The more she considered what he said, the more she thought she understood where he was coming from, but she would never know unless she got him talking first.

Since he wouldn't look her in the eye, Juvia climbed on top of him and put her arms on either side of his head, forcing him to look at her. Her bare breasts pressed against his chest was just an added bonus to get him to pay attention to her.

"Juvia doesn't want to forget about it. Please tell Juvia." She batted her long eyelashes at him and waited until he sighed heavily and finally looked at her properly.

"It's just that... sometimes you are so busy with the kids that… sometimes I miss when I was the one getting all the attention. ... Like, when I get back from jobs and all I want to so is hold you in my arms but a lot of times, you're so exhausted after several days with the kids that you end up passing out."

"Why didn't Gray-sama tell Juvia?" All her amusement turned to real regret. She hadn't known he felt that way, and she certainly had never intended to neglect him.

His eyes met hers again and this time he smiled sincerely. "How am I supposed to tell you to pay less attention to Slate and Elaine and more attention to me?"

Juvia chuckled despite the semi-serious conversation. "It doesn't have to be like that. Gray-sama just needs to tell Juvia how he feels. Juvia will work on it."

"You don't have to _do _anything," Gray pouted, obviously still embarrassed but Juvia wasn't having any of it.

She pressed her lips to his, kissing him until he was thoroughly distracted. "Yes, I do. Gray-sama is the of Juvia's life. When the kids grow up and move out, Gray-sama will still be there. Juvia needs to make sure he's happy."

"I _am_ happy."

"So is Juvia, and now that she knows how Gray-sama feels, Juvia will pay better attention."

Gray wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned up to kiss her. "How did I ever get so lucky?"

"Gray-sama took the words right out of Juvia's mouth."

They spent most of their remaining vacation in that room and neither were complaining.


End file.
